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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. face — to point toward
  3. branch — a division
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. prune — to trim
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — part of the head
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. prune — to trim
  18. season — of the year
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — a safe

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