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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. mark — a trace
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. suit — to fit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. fork — in a road
  12. mark — a grade
  13. suit — clothes
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. suit — in cards
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. stem — to come from
  18. prune — to trim

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