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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. shower — rain
  3. staff — a stick
  4. tear — from crying
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. suit — to fit
  7. tear — from crying
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. cap — a hat
  10. shower — to wash
  11. stem — to come from
  12. tear — to rip
  13. cap — of ice
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. staff — employees
  16. suit — in cards
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. last — finally
  19. last — final
  20. last — to go on
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. vault — a safe
  23. suit — clothes
  24. cap — a lid

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