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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. bear — the animal
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. branch — a division
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. shower — rain
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rest — what's left
  13. craft — boats
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rest — a break
  16. shower — to wash
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. vault — a safe
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bear — the animal
  22. sharp — clever
  23. craft — a skill
  24. lash — to lash out

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