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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. plane — a tool
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. wax — to grow
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. stem — to come from
  9. cell — a phone
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. squash — to crush
  12. vault — a safe
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. cell — in biology
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — to rip
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. tear — from crying
  24. squash — the 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