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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.

Make a worksheet

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: vault · stem · last · object · mate · current · scale · degree

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — an amount
  5. object — a thing
  6. degree — from a university
  7. last — final
  8. mate — to breed
  9. object — an aim
  10. stem — to come from
  11. scale — in music
  12. current — of water
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. last — to go on
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. mate — a partner
  17. vault — a safe
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. mate — a friend
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. last — finally
  22. current — electric
  23. scale — size or range
  24. current — happening now

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