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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: wake · band · cue · leaves · stem · rush · cell · vault

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. cell — in biology
  10. band — a music group
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. band — a ring
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. rush — hurry
  17. cue — for pool
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. stem — to come from
  20. wake — a trail
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. cue — a hint
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. cue — a signal

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