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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. branch — a division
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — help
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. hand — in cards
  16. pass — a permit
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. field — for sport
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. field — farmland
  23. field — a subject
  24. fan — to cool the air

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