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

Word bank: staff · rest · toast · vault · squash · deal

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. rest — a break
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. squash — to crush
  7. vault — a safe
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. staff — employees
  13. toast — bread
  14. staff — a stick
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — the sport

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