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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bank — for money
  3. net — for catching
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. vault — a safe
  9. stem — to come from
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — in sport
  12. staff — a stick
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. staff — employees
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lie — to recline
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bank — for money
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bank — of a river

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