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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: shower · firm · stem · vault · plane · fall · safe · wind

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. firm — steady
  4. plane — a tool
  5. wind — moving air
  6. vault — a safe
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. fall — the season
  9. firm — a company
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. firm — decided
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. shower — to wash
  15. fall — to drop
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. shower — rain
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. wind — moving air
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — a stem cell

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