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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bulb — for light
  8. vault — a safe
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. rash — hasty
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. rock — music
  13. scale — in music
  14. club — a group
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. club — for golf
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — an injury
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. club — for dancing

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