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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 116 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. rock — music
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. spring — a coil
  6. cell — a phone
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. rock — a stone
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. spring — of water
  17. cell — in biology
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stem — to come from
  20. deal — to handle
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. spring — the season

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