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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. swing — in golf
  5. rest — what's left
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — to play on
  12. rest — what's left
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. vault — a safe
  17. rest — a break
  18. present — the time now
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. branch — a division
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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