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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. land — to come down
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bound — tied together
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. pit — a hole
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. pit — in a race
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. content — the amount
  14. vault — a safe
  15. land — ground
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bound — obliged
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — a division
  20. land — a country
  21. bound — certain
  22. can — to be able to
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. content — happy

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