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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. game — wild animals
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. fall — to drop
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — a safe
  10. fall — to drop
  11. branch — a division
  12. swing — music
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. fall — the season
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stem — to come from
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. game — a match
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. swing — in golf

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