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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: game · stem · leaves · vault · ruler · net · present · bass

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. stem — to come from
  3. net — in sport
  4. bass — the fish
  5. net — for catching
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. present — there
  11. present — a gift
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. game — a match
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. net — after costs
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. vault — a safe
  19. game — wild animals
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. present — the time now
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — of a tree

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