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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. suit — to fit
  3. vault — a safe
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. snap — to click
  10. suit — clothes
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. pass — a permit
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. suit — in cards
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. date — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stem — to come from

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