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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 120 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. rest — what's left
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rest — a break
  9. vault — a safe
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. fall — to drop
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rest — what's left
  17. branch — a division
  18. kid — to tease
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bore — to drill
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. kid — child
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bore — to tire

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