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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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. hand — in cards
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — a container
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — a division
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. tube — the underground
  10. game — wild animals
  11. hand — help
  12. vault — a safe
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. game — a match
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a great time
  19. pit — in a race
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. pit — a hole

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