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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 120 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: tear · vault · rush · ground · mate · band · suit · stem

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. band — a music group
  3. suit — in cards
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. mate — a friend
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — a safe
  8. ground — crushed
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mate — a partner
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — to rip
  14. stem — to come from
  15. ground — the earth
  16. band — a ring
  17. mate — to breed
  18. ground — a position
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. tear — from crying
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. suit — to fit

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