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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. foot — a measure
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. cold — an illness
  8. branch — a division
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. capital — a city
  13. vault — a safe
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. capital — money
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. sharp — clever
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. cold — not warm

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