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

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. lie — to recline
  7. charge — a price
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. charge — electricity
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. spring — a coil
  12. charge — in control
  13. pitch — completely
  14. object — a thing
  15. spring — of water
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. object — an aim
  19. wind — moving air
  20. vault — a safe
  21. wind — moving air
  22. object — to protest
  23. spring — the season
  24. stem — of a plant

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