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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. spell — a short time
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. dip — to sink
  9. rock — a stone
  10. spell — magic
  11. charge — electricity
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. plane — a tool
  17. spell — letters
  18. charge — in control
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. charge — a price
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rock — music

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