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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: wave · wound · press · vault · pop · branch · staff · land

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. vault — in gymnastics
  2. press — newspapers
  3. pop — to visit
  4. branch — a division
  5. pop — soda
  6. land — ground
  7. wound — an injury
  8. press — a publisher
  9. staff — employees
  10. wound — an injury
  11. land — a country
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. staff — employees
  17. press — to push
  18. vault — a safe
  19. land — to come down
  20. staff — a stick
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. pop — music
  23. wave — with your hand
  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