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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. branch — a division
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. track — a path
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — to crush
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. track — to keep track
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. vault — a safe
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. track — a song
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. march — the month
  24. hide — animal skin

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