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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — a safe
  4. lean — to bend
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. branch — a division
  7. pit — a hole
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — all right
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pop — soda
  14. fine — high quality
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. pit — in a race
  17. file — a line of people
  18. lean — thin
  19. file — a tool
  20. file — a document
  21. pop — music
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pop — to visit
  24. lean — to rest against

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