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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. can — a tin
  5. bank — for money
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. vault — a safe
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. deal — to handle
  11. can — to be able to
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bank — of a river
  14. branch — a division
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. can — a tin
  18. pitch — completely
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bank — for money
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. pit — in a race

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