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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: cell · stem · bay · squash · date · vault · deal · mug

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. cell — in biology
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. squash — the sport
  5. mug — to rob
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. squash — to crush
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. mug — a face
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. date — the fruit
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. cell — a phone
  22. stem — to come from
  23. vault — a safe
  24. deal — to handle

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