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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stem · vault · dip · fork · trunk · press

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. vault — a safe
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. stem — to come from
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. press — newspapers
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — to push
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. fork — in a road
  18. dip — a sauce

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