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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. track — a path
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. track — to keep track
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bore — to tire
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bore — to drill
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. stock — goods
  14. mark — a grade
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. branch — a division
  18. stock — shares
  19. mark — a trace
  20. track — a song
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. plane — a tool
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. vault — a safe

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