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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: stick · nail · prune · fine · pop · stem · charge · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. charge — in control
  3. pop — soda
  4. stem — to come from
  5. pop — music
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. fine — high quality
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. prune — to trim
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fine — all right
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pop — to visit
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — electricity
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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