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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: vault · file · stem · suit · cap · nail · jam · stand

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — of ice
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. vault — a safe
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. stand — to bear
  12. suit — in cards
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. file — a tool
  15. stem — to come from
  16. suit — to fit
  17. cap — a hat
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. file — a document
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. file — a line of people

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