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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. prune — to trim
  5. field — for sport
  6. season — in sport
  7. vault — a safe
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. mate — a friend
  10. field — a subject
  11. prune — to trim
  12. field — farmland
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. pound — a weight
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. season — of the year
  19. mate — to breed
  20. charge — in control
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. mate — a partner

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