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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: pound · safe · season · vault · stem · degree · bound · row

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pound — a weight
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. degree — from a university
  8. vault — a safe
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. season — of the year
  14. row — to paddle
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. season — in sport
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bound — certain
  19. row — a line
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. stem — to come from
  22. bound — tied together
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. degree — temperature

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