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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. mug — to rob
  3. rash — a series
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. spring — the season
  7. prune — to trim
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. content — the amount
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. spring — of water
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. branch — a division
  15. rash — hasty
  16. mug — a face
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. prune — to trim
  19. spring — a coil
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. content — happy
  23. mug — a cup
  24. rash — on the skin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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