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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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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: rest · stem · snap · vault · bound · shower · roll · bore

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  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. rest — a break
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bound — tied together
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. roll — a cake
  8. bound — obliged
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bound — certain
  11. shower — rain
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rest — what's left
  16. vault — a safe
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bore — to tire
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. roll — a list
  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