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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 116 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: race · stem · object · lie · rock · suit · vault · net

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. object — to protest
  3. lie — to recline
  4. net — for catching
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. race — the arms race
  7. object — an aim
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rock — a stone
  10. race — a contest
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — to fit
  13. net — after costs
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. suit — in cards
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. object — a thing
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. vault — a safe
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. net — in sport
  24. race — humankind

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