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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. lean — thin
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. vault — a safe
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. game — a match
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. lean — to bend
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pound — a weight
  23. game — wild animals
  24. perch — the fish

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