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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: stem · vault · lie · dip · game · racket · stick · rock

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. game — wild animals
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. rock — a stone
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. dip — to sink
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. vault — a safe
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. rock — music
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. game — a match
  24. stem — to come from

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