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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: vault · can · mate · stem · bark · press · craft · dip

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — boats
  6. press — a publisher
  7. can — to be able to
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bark — to shout
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. dip — to sink
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. press — to push
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. vault — a safe
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. can — a tin
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. can — a tin

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