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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: pit · pass · vault · stem · object · present · rest · firm

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. rest — a break
  3. present — the time now
  4. firm — decided
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pit — in a race
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — a company
  13. object — to protest
  14. stem — to come from
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. object — a thing
  17. rest — what's left
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. object — an aim
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — there
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pit — a hole

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