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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 120 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. rock — a stone
  3. stem — to come from
  4. present — there
  5. net — in sport
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. net — after costs
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. net — for catching
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rock — music
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. present — the time now
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. charge — a price
  23. present — a gift
  24. stem — of a plant

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