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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: present · hand · cabinet · can · pit · stem · fall · vault

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — help
  3. fall — to drop
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — to come from
  8. present — there
  9. fall — to drop
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. can — to be able to
  14. present — a gift
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fall — the season
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. pit — in a race
  19. can — a tin
  20. pit — a hole
  21. present — the time now
  22. can — a tin
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. stem — of a plant

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