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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 124 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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. ball — a great time
  6. chest — of your body
  7. stand — to bear
  8. chest — of your body
  9. rule — a law
  10. bound — obliged
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bound — certain
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. branch — a division
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bound — tied together
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bark — to shout
  21. vault — a safe
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bark — of a tree

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