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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 120 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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fine — all right
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. vault — a safe
  15. fine — high quality
  16. face — to confront
  17. root — the cause
  18. face — to point toward
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. lie — to recline
  23. stem — to come from
  24. face — part of the head

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