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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. shower — rain
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. shower — to wash
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stock — goods
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mark — a trace
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stem — to come from
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mark — a grade
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stock — shares

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