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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 116 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: can · net · lean · mug · trunk · cell · kid · vault

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. net — after costs
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. kid — child
  5. cell — in biology
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. mug — a cup
  9. lean — thin
  10. mug — to rob
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. mug — a face
  13. net — for catching
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. can — a tin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. cell — a phone
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. vault — a safe
  21. net — in sport
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. kid — to tease

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