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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 120 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 · bulb · swing · net · rest · vault · root · cold

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. stem — to come from
  3. net — for catching
  4. root — the cause
  5. swing — in golf
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. rest — a break
  9. bulb — for light
  10. swing — music
  11. rest — what's left
  12. net — in sport
  13. swing — to play on
  14. cold — not warm
  15. root — of a plant
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. root — of a word
  18. vault — a safe
  19. net — after costs
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bulb — for light

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