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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. swing — in golf
  3. board — to get on
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. spring — the season
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. board — a committee
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. content — happy
  15. spring — a coil
  16. swing — to play on
  17. branch — a division
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. content — the amount
  20. vault — a safe
  21. swing — music
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. spring — of water
  24. trunk — of a car

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