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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. vault — a safe
  6. pop — to visit
  7. track — to keep track
  8. stem — to come from
  9. firm — steady
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. sharp — clever
  12. track — a song
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. pop — soda
  15. firm — decided
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — the cause
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. firm — a company
  24. track — a path

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