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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 120 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: stem · mug · capital · lie · bank · hide · vault · patient

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bank — of a river
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bank — for money
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lie — to recline
  10. capital — a city
  11. mug — a face
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. capital — money
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. mug — to rob
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. vault — a safe
  21. stem — to come from
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bank — for money

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