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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 116 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: game · row · object · perch · stem · vault · rest · cap

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. rest — a break
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. row — to paddle
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. rest — what's left
  8. object — an aim
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. stem — to come from
  12. rest — what's left
  13. game — wild animals
  14. object — a thing
  15. cap — of ice
  16. game — a match
  17. cap — a lid
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. row — a line
  20. vault — a safe
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cap — a hat
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. perch — the fish

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