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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kid · bank · lie · vault · plane · bat · stem · wake

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bat — the animal
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. bank — for money
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bank — for money
  16. kid — to tease
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. kid — child
  22. stem — to come from
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bat — in an idiom

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