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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 120 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. net — in sport
  3. stem — to come from
  4. drill — army training
  5. net — for catching
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bank — for money
  9. club — for dancing
  10. saw — the tool
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. saw — the tool
  13. net — after costs
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bank — of a river
  18. drill — a practice
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. club — for golf
  21. vault — a safe
  22. club — a group
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bank — for money

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