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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: stem · patient · craft · cabinet · vault · rock

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rock — a stone
  4. stem — to come from
  5. vault — a safe
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rock — music
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. craft — boats
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stem — a stem cell

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