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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. rock — music
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. rock — a stone
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. stem — to come from
  14. scale — size or range
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. suit — clothes
  17. press — newspapers
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. scale — in music
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. press — to push
  24. calf — a young animal

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