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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. present — the time now
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — to come from
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. present — there
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rest — what's left
  10. roll — a list
  11. prune — to trim
  12. vault — a safe
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. prune — to trim
  16. date — the fruit
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. rest — a break
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. rest — what's left
  23. roll — a cake
  24. present — a gift

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