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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 116 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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. present — there
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. stem — to come from
  9. object — an aim
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. present — a gift
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. object — a thing
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. object — to protest
  20. content — the amount
  21. vault — a safe
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. present — the time now
  24. content — happy

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