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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: rest · stem · last · spring · race · wave · vault · leaves

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. spring — the season
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. race — a contest
  6. vault — a safe
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. last — finally
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rest — a break
  14. spring — of water
  15. last — final
  16. rest — what's left
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stem — to come from
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. race — humankind
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. spring — a coil
  24. last — to go on

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