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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. mark — a trace
  5. cap — a hat
  6. stem — to come from
  7. chest — a box
  8. mark — a grade
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pop — music
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. vault — a safe
  16. cap — of ice
  17. lean — to bend
  18. cap — a lid
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pop — soda
  22. lean — thin
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. chest — of your body

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