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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · deal · bass · saw · vault · trunk · stem · face

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bass — the fish
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. vault — a safe
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. deal — to handle
  15. face — to point toward
  16. saw — the tool
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — part of the head
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stem — to come from
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — low music
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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