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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rock — music
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. vault — a safe
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. branch — a division
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. charge — a price
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bark — to shout
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. charge — in control
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. charge — electricity
  24. rock — a stone

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