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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. rush — hurry
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. scale — size or range
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. vault — a safe
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. branch — a division
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. scale — in music
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. branch — of a bank

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