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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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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: bore · band · vault · deal · kick · rush · stem · chair

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bore — to tire
  4. kick — in football
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. deal — to handle
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a music group
  16. stem — to come from
  17. chair — a leader
  18. vault — a safe
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bore — to drill

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