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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. tube — the underground
  4. cap — of ice
  5. branch — a division
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. track — to keep track
  9. vault — a safe
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. track — a song
  12. march — the month
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. march — the month
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — a hat
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. tube — a container
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. march — music
  24. fan — a supporter

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