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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: spring · rock · bear · cap · vault · snap · stem · pop

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — to come from
  9. snap — to click
  10. pop — soda
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pop — music
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. spring — a coil
  16. vault — a safe
  17. pop — to visit
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. spring — of water
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bear — the animal

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