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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: snap · mate · stem · dip · ground · vault · safe · temple

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ground — a position
  4. stem — to come from
  5. mate — a friend
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. ground — the earth
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. ground — crushed
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. dip — to sink
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mate — to breed
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. vault — a safe

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