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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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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. face — part of the head
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lean — thin
  9. face — to point toward
  10. prune — to trim
  11. perch — the fish
  12. face — to confront
  13. chip — to eat
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rest — a break
  16. prune — to trim
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lean — to bend
  20. branch — a division
  21. vault — a safe
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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