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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: cell · stem · cabinet · wax · cue · lash · kid · vault

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. wax — to grow
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. kid — to tease
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. cue — for pool
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. vault — a safe
  12. cue — a hint
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. cell — a phone
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. cue — a signal
  20. kid — child
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. stem — to come from
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. lash — an eyelash

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