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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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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. fork — in a road
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rock — a stone
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. key — in music
  11. key — for a lock
  12. snap — to click
  13. rock — music
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. press — to push
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. press — newspapers
  19. press — a publisher
  20. stem — to come from
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — a safe
  24. key — the most important part

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