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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: branch · hide · face · pitcher · vault · object · wave · bear

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. face — to confront
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. face — part of the head
  11. branch — a division
  12. bear — the animal
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — an aim
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. object — a thing
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. face — to point toward
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. branch — of a bank

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