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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. track — a song
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. track — a path
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. vault — a safe
  11. branch — a division
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. capital — a city
  16. capital — money
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. stand — to bear
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. dip — to dunk

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