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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 116 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stand — to bear
  5. file — a tool
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stem — to come from
  8. craft — boats
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. content — happy
  11. swing — in golf
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. file — a line of people
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. content — the amount
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. file — a document
  24. swing — to play on

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