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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pit — a hole
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. plane — a tool
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. rock — a stone
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — to visit
  17. rock — music
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. lean — thin
  20. vault — a safe
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pit — in a race
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. pop — soda

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