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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: jam · vault · band · bound · drill · stand · bowl · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. band — a ring
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bound — tied together
  5. vault — a safe
  6. staff — a stick
  7. drill — army training
  8. bound — certain
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. staff — employees
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bound — obliged
  19. band — a music group
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bowl — a dish

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