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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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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: bat · staff · bulb · stem · vault · racket · lean · face

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stem — to come from
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. face — to confront
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. staff — employees
  8. face — to point toward
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — to bend
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. staff — employees
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. lean — thin
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. staff — a stick

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