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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. vault — a safe
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. mate — a friend
  8. branch — a division
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. bound — tied together
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bound — obliged
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bound — certain
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a partner
  21. chip — for betting
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. leaves — lets stay

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