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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. vault — a safe
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. snap — to click
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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