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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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Word bank
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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: vault · rule · stem · hide · wave · fork

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fork — in a road
  11. rule — government
  12. vault — a safe
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. rule — a law
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. stem — to come from
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. wave — a sudden rise

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