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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: track · suit · stick · fall · shower · vault · stem · bowl

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fall — to drop
  5. track — a path
  6. suit — in cards
  7. track — to keep track
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. track — a song
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. shower — rain
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. stem — to come from
  19. suit — to fit
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. fall — the season

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