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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bank — for money
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. club — for dancing
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. vault — a safe
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. cell — a phone
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. stem — to come from
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. pit — in a race
  18. club — for golf
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pit — a hole
  22. cell — in biology
  23. club — a group
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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