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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 116 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. mark — a trace
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. chip — for betting
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pound — a weight
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. vault — a safe
  16. mark — a grade
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. chip — to eat
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — a division
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. chip — in a computer

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