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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: stem · wound · bore · root · can · shower · vault · race

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. race — a contest
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wound — an injury
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bore — to tire
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. shower — to wash
  12. race — humankind
  13. root — the cause
  14. race — the arms race
  15. root — of a word
  16. stem — to come from
  17. wound — an injury
  18. shower — rain
  19. bore — to drill
  20. can — to be able to
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. vault — a safe
  24. stem — a stem cell

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