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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: vault · cold · stem · rock · wave · lie · mark · ruler

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rock — a stone
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. cold — not warm
  7. cold — an illness
  8. vault — a safe
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. stem — to come from
  14. rock — music
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mark — a trace
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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