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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 120 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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. snap — to click
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. swing — music
  6. vault — a safe
  7. fine — high quality
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. swing — in golf
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. shower — to wash
  14. fine — all right
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bark — to shout
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. shower — rain
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. branch — a division
  24. swing — to play on

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