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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. object — a thing
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. object — to protest
  6. bear — the animal
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bear — the animal
  10. vault — a safe
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — a division
  13. net — for catching
  14. object — an aim
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — in sport
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. snap — to click
  22. stand — to bear
  23. pitch — completely
  24. branch — of a tree

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