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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stem — to come from
  8. vault — a safe
  9. rock — a stone
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. rock — music
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. clip — for paper
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. clip — a video
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cell — a phone
  23. clip — to cut
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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