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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. stem — to come from
  4. vault — a safe
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. shower — to wash
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. staff — employees
  14. net — for catching
  15. shower — rain
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. net — after costs
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. net — in sport

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