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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 120 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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. stem — to come from
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. perch — the fish
  5. vault — a safe
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — to grow
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. staff — employees
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bass — low music
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bass — the fish
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. staff — a stick
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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