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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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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: lie · vault · wave · bowl · march · press · branch · saw

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. march — music
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. press — newspapers
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. vault — a safe
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. saw — the tool
  15. press — a publisher
  16. march — the month
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. march — the month
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. branch — a division
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bowl — to roll
  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