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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 116 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: mouse · stem · nail · row · cabinet · ground · hand · vault

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. row — to paddle
  5. hand — in cards
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. ground — a position
  8. hand — help
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. stem — to come from
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. vault — a safe
  15. row — a line
  16. ground — crushed
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ground — the earth
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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