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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. staff — employees
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. staff — a stick
  5. wax — to grow
  6. branch — a division
  7. staff — employees
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. root — of a plant
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. root — of a word
  15. vault — a safe
  16. lean — to bend
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. rush — hurry
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — for betting
  21. root — the cause
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. lean — thin
  24. rush — to hurry

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