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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rest — what's left
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. rest — what's left
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. rest — a break
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bulb — for light
  13. press — newspapers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stand — to bear
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bulb — for light
  18. press — a publisher
  19. kid — child
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. press — to push
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. kid — to tease

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