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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  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. staff — employees
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. charge — in control
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. charge — electricity
  6. vault — a safe
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. staff — employees
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mate — a partner
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. staff — a stick
  20. charge — a price
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a friend
  23. jam — a tight spot
  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