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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mine — for digging
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rash — hasty
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. stem — to come from
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. craft — a skill
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fine — all right
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. rash — a series
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. craft — boats
  24. nail — on a finger

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