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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: fine · chest · staff · stem · tube · straw · safe · vault

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. staff — employees
  4. chest — of your body
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. fine — high quality
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. chest — of your body
  9. staff — a stick
  10. tube — the underground
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. fine — all right
  13. stem — to come from
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. staff — employees
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. tube — a container
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. chest — a box
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. safe — out of danger

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