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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. ball — a dance
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. ball — a great time
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. dip — to sink
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bear — the animal
  16. chest — a box
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. deal — to handle
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. vault — a safe
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. branch — a division

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