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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.

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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. pass — a permit
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. vault — a safe
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. current — electric
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — to point toward
  10. clip — to cut
  11. current — of water
  12. dip — to sink
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. clip — a video
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. face — part of the head
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. clip — for paper
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. current — happening now

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