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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 120 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: bay · ruler · branch · prune · vault · cap · press · dip

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. press — to push
  4. vault — a safe
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. prune — to trim
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. branch — a division
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. dip — to sink
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. cap — of ice
  13. press — a publisher
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. cap — a lid
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. press — newspapers

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