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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 116 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: stem · cabinet · pound · key · vault · cell · patient · firm

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cell — in biology
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stem — to come from
  7. key — for a lock
  8. firm — a company
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. pound — a weight
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. key — the most important part
  14. vault — a safe
  15. cell — a phone
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — decided
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. key — in music
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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