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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. branch — a division
  3. pitch — completely
  4. ground — a position
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. ground — the earth
  7. land — a country
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. land — to come down
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. field — for sport
  15. ground — crushed
  16. field — farmland
  17. vault — a safe
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. field — a subject
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. land — ground
  24. branch — of a tree

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