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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. swing — to play on
  5. rush — hurry
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. branch — a division
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fall — to drop
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. vault — a safe
  19. fall — to drop
  20. swing — music
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. swing — in golf
  24. fall — the season

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com