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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: stem · vault · row · safe · tear · pass · pitch · object

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. row — a line
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. pitch — completely
  7. object — to protest
  8. tear — from crying
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. tear — to rip
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. object — an aim
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stem — to come from
  19. row — to paddle
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. object — a thing
  22. pass — a permit
  23. vault — a safe
  24. tear — from crying

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