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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: spell · vault · pass · chip · stem · lash · foot · bay

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. spell — a short time
  7. chip — for betting
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. vault — a safe
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. spell — letters
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. spell — magic
  20. chip — to eat
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — to come from
  24. chip — in a computer

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