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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. vault — a safe
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. shower — to wash
  5. pop — to visit
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. pop — music
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. stem — to come from
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. shower — rain
  17. firm — decided
  18. spring — the season
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. spring — of water
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pop — soda

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