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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: vault · snap · mug · face · roll · stem · spell · track

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. track — a path
  5. vault — a safe
  6. face — part of the head
  7. roll — a cake
  8. roll — a list
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. mug — to rob
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — to come from
  14. mug — a cup
  15. track — to keep track
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. spell — letters
  18. track — a song
  19. face — to confront
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. face — to point toward
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mug — a face
  24. snap — to click

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