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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: lie · chip · pound · stem · vault · cell

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  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. lie — to recline
  2. stem — to come from
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. chip — for betting
  6. cell — a phone
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. chip — to eat
  12. pound — a weight
  13. vault — a safe
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. cell — in biology
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. chip — in a computer
  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