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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. cap — a lid
  3. rule — a law
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. cap — a hat
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. rule — government
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. net — in sport
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. vault — a safe
  16. cap — of ice
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. net — after costs
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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