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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. branch — a division
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. last — finally
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. tube — the underground
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. vault — a safe
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. last — final
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — the season
  20. spring — of water
  21. suit — clothes
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. tube — a container
  24. charge — in control

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