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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. sharp — clever
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. current — happening now
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. current — electric
  17. squash — the sport
  18. vault — a safe
  19. branch — a division
  20. squash — to crush
  21. stem — to come from
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. branch — of a bank

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