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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — to visit
  3. present — the time now
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bank — of a river
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. present — a gift
  9. branch — a division
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. track — a path
  12. present — there
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pop — music
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bank — for money
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bank — for money

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