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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. vault — a safe
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. branch — a division
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. fall — to drop
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. pop — soda
  13. present — there
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. kick — in football
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. present — a gift
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pop — music
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. present — the time now
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. kick — a thrill

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