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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pitch — completely
  3. lean — to bend
  4. branch — a division
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — music
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — a hole
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. lean — thin
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. branch — of a bank

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