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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. rock — a stone
  5. toast — bread
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lean — thin
  8. rest — a break
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rest — what's left
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. rock — music
  15. stem — to come from
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lean — to bend
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. vault — a safe
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. stem — a stem cell

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