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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — a lid
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. lie — to recline
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. cell — a phone
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. vault — a safe
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — to sink

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