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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 · chair · vault · race · lean · bowl · present · bay

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lean — to bend
  8. staff — a stick
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — a gift
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. vault — a safe
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a leader
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. lean — thin
  21. race — humankind
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. race — a contest
  24. present — there

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