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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bank — for money
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. wax — to grow
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bank — of a river
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. vault — a safe
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bulb — for light
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bank — for money
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. kid — child
  23. branch — a division
  24. bulb — of a plant

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