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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. suit — in cards
  3. shower — to wash
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. cell — in biology
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. suit — clothes
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. degree — from a university
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — an amount
  20. cell — a phone
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pass — a permit
  23. vault — a safe
  24. scale — in 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