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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. snap — to click
  4. branch — a division
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. dip — to sink
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. lean — thin
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stand — to bear
  14. lean — to bend
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. vault — a safe
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. band — a music group
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. band — a ring

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