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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. track — to keep track
  4. vault — a safe
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. track — a song
  7. rest — a break
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rest — what's left
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. branch — a division
  16. rest — what's left
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. wax — to grow
  23. track — a path
  24. racket — a loud noise

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