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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 116 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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. chip — to eat
  3. branch — a division
  4. cap — a lid
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bank — of a river
  8. track — a path
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bank — for money
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. track — a song
  13. bank — for money
  14. chip — for betting
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. cap — of ice
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. track — to keep track
  20. vault — a safe
  21. shower — rain
  22. shower — to wash
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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