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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: firm · lie · rule · spell · land · dip · stem · vault

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. 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. dip — to dunk
  2. spell — a short time
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. spell — letters
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. land — ground
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. firm — a company
  13. rule — a law
  14. vault — a safe
  15. dip — to sink
  16. spell — magic
  17. land — to come down
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rule — government
  20. lie — to recline
  21. firm — steady
  22. land — a country
  23. firm — decided
  24. 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