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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bass — low music
  3. vault — a safe
  4. fine — all right
  5. swing — music
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. firm — steady
  13. bass — the fish
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. firm — decided
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — in golf
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fine — high quality
  23. firm — a company
  24. branch — a division

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