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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. key — in music
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — a series
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bark — to shout
  11. stem — to come from
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. key — the most important part
  15. rock — music
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. rock — a stone
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. rash — on the skin

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