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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. tube — a container
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. mate — to breed
  7. rule — a law
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. stem — to come from
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mate — a friend
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rule — government
  20. vault — a safe
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. tube — the underground
  23. deal — to handle
  24. rule — to rule out

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