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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. mate — a partner
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. mate — to breed
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. craft — a skill
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. vault — a safe
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rush — hurry
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. craft — boats
  21. kick — in football
  22. mate — a friend
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. wave — of the sea

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