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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: hand · safe · vault · field · object · mark · pit · stem

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. object — an aim
  3. field — a subject
  4. field — for sport
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. hand — help
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. object — a thing
  11. pit — a hole
  12. mark — a grade
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mark — a trace
  18. field — farmland
  19. vault — a safe
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. hand — in cards
  23. object — to protest
  24. pit — in a race

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