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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bulb — for light
  4. spell — letters
  5. firm — a company
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. snap — to click
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ball — a dance
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. firm — steady
  14. ball — a great time
  15. spell — magic
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. vault — a safe
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. spell — a short time
  22. stem — to come from
  23. firm — decided
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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