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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. track — a song
  3. court — for sport
  4. object — to protest
  5. march — the month
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. court — of law
  10. track — to keep track
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. march — the month
  13. lean — to bend
  14. stem — to come from
  15. court — of a king
  16. track — a path
  17. object — a thing
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. object — an aim
  21. lean — thin
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. march — music
  24. vault — a safe

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