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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bound — tied together
  3. vault — a safe
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. branch — a division
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bound — certain
  8. board — to get on
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bound — obliged
  11. wind — moving air
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. wind — moving air
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bat — the animal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. board — a committee
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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