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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 · fork · vault · wake · shower · ruler

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. fork — in a road
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — to wash
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — a trail
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. stem — to come from
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stem — a stem cell

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