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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: cabinet · stem · snap · net · trunk · safe · bay · jam

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  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. net — in sport
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. stem — to come from
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. net — after costs
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. net — for catching
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. snap — to click
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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