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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pop — to visit
  4. stem — to come from
  5. firm — decided
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. present — there
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. present — the time now
  11. firm — steady
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. pop — soda
  14. pop — music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. present — a gift
  23. firm — a company
  24. stem — of a plant

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