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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: degree · stem · racket · file · stick · leaves · vault · bay

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. degree — temperature
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. degree — from a university
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. stem — to come from
  16. file — a document
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. degree — an amount
  19. file — a line of people
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. vault — a safe
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. leaves — lets stay

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