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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. fall — the season
  4. lean — to bend
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stem — to come from
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. fall — to drop
  15. content — happy
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. lean — thin
  18. vault — a safe
  19. fall — to drop
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — out of danger

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