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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 120 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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. land — ground
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. land — to come down
  5. suit — clothes
  6. wake — a trail
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. suit — in cards
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — the earth
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. ground — crushed
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. press — to push
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. suit — to fit
  17. press — a publisher
  18. vault — a safe
  19. land — a country
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. stem — to come from
  22. press — newspapers
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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