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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. object — a thing
  3. vault — a safe
  4. branch — a division
  5. object — an aim
  6. mate — a friend
  7. game — a match
  8. march — the month
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. mate — a partner
  11. march — music
  12. mate — to breed
  13. object — to protest
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. fall — to drop
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. fall — to drop
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. game — wild animals
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. march — the month
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. branch — of a bank

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