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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. stem — to come from
  3. bank — for money
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. ground — crushed
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. clip — a video
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. ground — the earth
  12. stand — to bear
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ground — a position
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. scale — in music
  22. vault — a safe
  23. clip — for paper
  24. clip — to cut

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