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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 116 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. tear — from crying
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. can — a tin
  5. row — to paddle
  6. branch — a division
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mug — a face
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. can — a tin
  11. row — a line
  12. vault — a safe
  13. ground — a position
  14. tear — to rip
  15. mug — to rob
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. ground — the earth
  19. mug — a cup
  20. tear — from crying
  21. can — to be able to
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. ground — crushed

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