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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. squash — the sport
  3. vault — a safe
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — there
  6. wax — to grow
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pit — in a race
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. squash — to crush
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bear — the animal
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. present — the time now
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pit — a hole

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