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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. fine — high quality
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. root — of a plant
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. clip — to cut
  11. chest — a box
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. clip — a video
  15. root — of a word
  16. fine — all right
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. chest — of your body
  19. vault — a safe
  20. chest — of your body
  21. clip — for paper
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. root — the cause

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