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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 120 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. rest — what's left
  3. court — of a king
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — in golf
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. swing — music
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rest — what's left
  14. saw — the tool
  15. court — for sport
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. saw — the tool
  19. branch — a division
  20. rest — a break
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. court — of law

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