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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 116 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: stem · present · lean · vault · wound · bore · snap · rock

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. present — there
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. present — a gift
  7. bore — to drill
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. vault — a safe
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bore — to tire
  16. stem — to come from
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. wound — an injury
  19. rock — a stone
  20. lean — to bend
  21. snap — to click
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rock — music

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