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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. ball — a dance
  5. current — happening now
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bass — low music
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. branch — a division
  13. kick — in football
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. current — of water
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. roll — a cake
  20. current — electric
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bass — the fish
  23. roll — a list
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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