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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. foot — a measure
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. cap — a hat
  15. sharp — clever
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. vault — a safe
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — of ice
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. racket — for tennis

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