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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: hide · fan · vault · pit · foot · cell · pop · stem

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. vault — a safe
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cell — a phone
  7. pop — soda
  8. stem — to come from
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pit — a hole
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. foot — a measure
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pop — music

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