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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're almost out of ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. pop — to visit
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. tear — from crying
  6. branch — a division
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. capital — a city
  9. mug — to rob
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. capital — money
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — a face
  18. bank — for money
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pop — music
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. vault — a safe
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — to rip

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