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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. spring — the season
  3. last — to go on
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. last — finally
  6. vault — a safe
  7. last — final
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. spring — of water
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. branch — a division
  22. spring — a coil
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. mouse — the animal

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