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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. lean — thin
  4. rest — a break
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cue — for pool
  9. rest — what's left
  10. cue — a signal
  11. branch — a division
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. cold — an illness
  16. lean — to bend
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. swing — to play on
  19. vault — a safe
  20. cue — a hint
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. cold — not warm
  24. swing — music

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