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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. rule — government
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. perch — the fish
  10. stem — to come from
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ball — a great time
  16. sharp — clever
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. ball — a dance
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rule — a law

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