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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. dip — to sink
  4. present — a gift
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. stem — to come from
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. rock — music
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bass — low music
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. present — the time now
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. snap — to click
  21. vault — a safe
  22. rock — a stone
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. bass — the fish

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