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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: current · foot · vault · wound · bear · stem · content · tube

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. content — the amount
  5. current — happening now
  6. tube — a container
  7. foot — a measure
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. wound — an injury
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. current — of water
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bear — the animal
  20. vault — a safe
  21. current — electric
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. content — happy
  24. wound — an injury

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