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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 116 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. spring — the season
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. craft — a skill
  7. mark — a grade
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. vault — a safe
  10. spring — of water
  11. craft — boats
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. rock — music
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. rock — a stone
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pit — in a race
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. pit — a hole
  23. spring — a coil
  24. mine — belonging to me

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