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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. stem — to come from
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. vault — a safe
  9. file — a tool
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mug — a face
  14. file — a document
  15. mug — to rob
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. sharp — clever
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. file — a line of people

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