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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. track — a song
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. vault — a safe
  7. can — a tin
  8. game — a match
  9. track — to keep track
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. chip — for betting
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. can — a tin
  16. game — wild animals
  17. chip — to eat
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — a division
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. tear — from crying
  22. rush — hurry
  23. tear — to rip
  24. tear — from crying

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