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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. scale — size or range
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wound — an injury
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. branch — a division
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. scale — in music
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. vault — a safe

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