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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. vault — a safe
  4. stem — to come from
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. can — a tin
  13. spring — of water
  14. can — a tin
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — the season
  18. snap — to click
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. can — to be able to
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. tube — the underground
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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