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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: last · bank · vault · cabinet · chest · staff

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. 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. vault — in gymnastics
  2. chest — of your body
  3. last — final
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. chest — a box
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. staff — a stick
  8. last — finally
  9. staff — employees
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bank — of a river
  12. vault — a safe
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bank — for money
  15. last — to go on
  16. bank — for money
  17. staff — employees
  18. 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