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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. prune — to trim
  5. spell — magic
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. branch — a division
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. vault — a safe
  12. board — to get on
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — a short time
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — an injury
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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