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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 124 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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. shower — rain
  3. branch — a division
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. rule — government
  9. roll — a cake
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. board — to get on
  12. vault — a safe
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. roll — a list
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. board — a committee
  18. shower — to wash
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. chair — a leader
  22. rule — a law
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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