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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · vault · stock · plane · ball · mine · suit · hand

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ball — a dance
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. hand — help
  12. suit — to fit
  13. vault — a safe
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. ball — a great time
  18. stock — shares
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. hand — in cards
  22. mine — for digging
  23. stock — goods
  24. plane — a tool

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