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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. pitch — completely
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. hand — help
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. staff — employees
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. hand — in cards
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. branch — a division
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. fork — in a road
  17. staff — employees
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. charge — a price
  20. staff — a stick
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. charge — in control
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. charge — electricity

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