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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: track · stem · vault · pop · wake · snap · bay · current

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. current — electric
  4. pop — music
  5. current — happening now
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. vault — a safe
  10. stem — to come from
  11. track — to keep track
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. snap — to click
  16. pop — soda
  17. wake — a trail
  18. current — of water
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. pop — to visit
  24. wake — before a funeral

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