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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. suit — to fit
  5. drill — army training
  6. suit — in cards
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — to trim
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — a division
  11. land — a country
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. land — to come down
  14. drill — the tool
  15. drill — a practice
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. suit — clothes
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — hurry

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