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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  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. vault — in gymnastics
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. march — the month
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. swing — in golf
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. swing — to play on
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. stem — to come from
  10. press — newspapers
  11. vault — a safe
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. press — to push
  14. march — music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — low music
  17. march — the month
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. swing — music
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. branch — a division
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. press — a publisher
  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