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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: toast · branch · rest · vault · row · game · firm · press

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. firm — a company
  4. rest — what's left
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. branch — a division
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. game — a match
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. game — wild animals
  13. rest — what's left
  14. row — to paddle
  15. vault — a safe
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — bread
  18. press — a publisher
  19. rest — a break
  20. press — newspapers
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. press — to push

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