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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 · ball · pass · pop · swing · hide · trunk · vault

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pop — to visit
  5. ball — a great time
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. pass — a permit
  15. vault — a safe
  16. branch — a division
  17. pop — soda
  18. swing — in golf
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. pop — music
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. swing — music
  24. ball — a dance

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