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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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Word bank
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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. vault — a safe
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. race — the arms race
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. squash — to crush
  15. squash — the sport
  16. race — humankind
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. race — a contest
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. pitch — completely
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. dip — to sink
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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