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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. swing — in golf
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. roll — a cake
  6. mate — to breed
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. roll — a list
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. rest — what's left
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. mate — a partner
  16. swing — to play on
  17. vault — a safe
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. swing — music
  20. lean — thin
  21. branch — a division
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mate — a friend

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