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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. scale — size or range
  3. roll — a list
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. season — of the year
  8. wax — to grow
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — a safe
  11. roll — a cake
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. stem — to come from
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. scale — in music
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. season — in sport
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. stem — a stem cell

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