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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. present — there
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. present — a gift
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. present — the time now
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. saw — the tool
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. pass — a permit
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. kick — in football
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. branch — a division

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