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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: craft · ball · stem · prune · bound · chair · vault · leaves

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. chair — a leader
  7. stem — to come from
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — a safe
  10. ball — a dance
  11. craft — boats
  12. prune — to trim
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bound — tied together
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. bound — certain
  19. craft — a skill
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. ball — a great time
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bound — obliged
  24. stem — of a plant

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