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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. roll — a list
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. rock — a stone
  9. roll — a cake
  10. stem — to come from
  11. rock — music
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. vault — a safe
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. wake — a trail
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. tear — from crying
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. tear — to rip

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