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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 120 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. press — to push
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. sharp — clever
  6. craft — boats
  7. row — a line
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. row — to paddle
  11. craft — a skill
  12. press — newspapers
  13. vault — a safe
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. press — a publisher
  24. racket — for tennis

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