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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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. pitcher — a jug
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. staff — employees
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. stem — to come from
  8. staff — a stick
  9. snap — to click
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. staff — employees
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. dip — to sink
  22. key — in music
  23. leaves — to go away
  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