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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: charge · net · chair · arm · cabinet · jam · stem · vault

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. charge — a price
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. net — in sport
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. charge — electricity
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — a leader
  13. charge — in control
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. net — for catching
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. net — after costs
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. vault — a safe
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. jam — in traffic

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