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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 120 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: fine · stem · sharp · bowl · march · game · vault · bat

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. stem — to come from
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a match
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. fine — all right
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. march — the month
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. vault — a safe
  20. sharp — clever
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bat — in an idiom

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