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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · mine · hide · lash · tube · craft · fan · vault

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. craft — a skill
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. tube — a container
  15. vault — a safe
  16. tube — the underground
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. stem — to come from
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. craft — boats
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mine — for digging

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