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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.

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: cue · vault · hide · stem · object · sharp · bass · bark

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. object — an aim
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. object — a thing
  6. bass — the fish
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. object — to protest
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. stem — to come from
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. cue — for pool
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. bass — low music
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. bark — to shout

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