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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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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: safe · snap · cell · stem · clip · vault · swing · rush

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. cell — a phone
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. vault — a safe
  6. rush — hurry
  7. clip — to cut
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. clip — a video
  11. swing — to play on
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. clip — for paper
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. swing — music
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. cell — in biology
  22. swing — in golf
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. stem — to come from

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