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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. branch — a division
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. shower — rain
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. shower — to wash
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — certain
  20. vault — a safe
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. cabinet — ministers

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