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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bank — of a river
  9. land — to come down
  10. charge — in control
  11. branch — a division
  12. game — a match
  13. chest — of your body
  14. game — wild animals
  15. land — ground
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. chest — of your body
  19. charge — electricity
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. charge — a price
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. land — a country

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