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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 120 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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468
Word bank
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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. pit — in a race
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. charge — in control
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. pit — a hole
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. saw — the tool
  12. charge — electricity
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. branch — a division
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bass — low music
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. charge — a price
  23. bass — the fish
  24. cabinet — ministers

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