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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 · spell · mine · stick · sharp · rock · stem · ball

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. stem — to come from
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mine — for digging
  9. spell — letters
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. rock — music
  14. vault — a safe
  15. spell — magic
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. sharp — clever
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. ball — a great time
  23. rock — a stone
  24. spell — a short time

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