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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wake — a trail
  4. stem — to come from
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. current — electric
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rush — hurry
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. current — of water
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — a safe
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. current — happening now

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