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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. mark — a grade
  3. chest — of your body
  4. pitch — completely
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. present — the time now
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mark — a trace
  9. tube — a container
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. branch — a division
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. chest — a box
  18. present — a gift
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. tube — the underground
  21. chest — of your body
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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