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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. cold — not warm
  3. cold — an illness
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. vault — a safe
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bank — of a river
  8. staff — employees
  9. firm — steady
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. staff — employees
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bank — for money
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. firm — a company
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bank — for money
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. firm — decided
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. racket — for tennis

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