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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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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: safe · vault · ground · rash · game · branch · stem · calf

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. ground — crushed
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ground — a position
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. rash — hasty
  9. game — a match
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. vault — a safe
  13. game — wild animals
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. ground — the earth
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. branch — a division
  20. rash — a series
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. stem — to come from
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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