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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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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: wind · vault · cabinet · staff · rule · bay

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — a safe
  5. rule — government
  6. staff — employees
  7. rule — a law
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. staff — employees
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. wind — moving air

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