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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: nail · vault · can · band · leaves · ground · cabinet · net

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. net — after costs
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. net — in sport
  8. vault — a safe
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. band — a music group
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. can — to be able to
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — crushed
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. net — for catching
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a ring
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ground — the earth
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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