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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. degree — temperature
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. net — after costs
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. vault — a safe
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. net — in sport
  18. degree — an amount
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. degree — from a university
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stem — to come from
  24. net — for catching

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