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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. firm — decided
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bore — to tire
  5. spring — the season
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bass — the fish
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. toast — bread
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. firm — a company
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. firm — steady
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. spring — of water
  24. bass — low music

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