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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. land — ground
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. spring — a coil
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. land — a country
  9. mark — a trace
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. press — a publisher
  12. spring — the season
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. spring — of water
  15. mark — a grade
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. press — newspapers
  20. land — to come down
  21. vault — a safe
  22. press — to push
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. lie — to recline

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