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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pop — soda
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pop — music
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — a safe
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. branch — a division
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. chair — a leader
  24. branch — of a bank

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