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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: shower · perch · firm · race · safe · vault · stem · rash

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. vault — a safe
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. perch — the fish
  7. stem — to come from
  8. race — the arms race
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. race — humankind
  12. firm — a company
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. firm — decided
  16. rash — hasty
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. firm — steady
  19. shower — to wash
  20. shower — rain
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. perch — for a bird

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