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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. branch — a division
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bass — low music
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — the underground
  10. chest — a box
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. chest — of your body
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. chest — of your body
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. tube — a container
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. bass — the fish
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. arm — a part of something

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