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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. vault — a safe
  3. present — a gift
  4. mine — for digging
  5. rest — what's left
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. present — the time now
  8. rest — what's left
  9. march — music
  10. present — there
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. march — the month
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stem — to come from
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. rest — a break
  20. march — the month
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. wave — with your hand

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