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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 · wind · vault · toast · bank · cabinet · root · race

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. vault — a safe
  4. race — the arms race
  5. staff — a stick
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. race — humankind
  8. bank — for money
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. staff — employees
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. wind — moving air
  14. staff — employees
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. race — a contest
  18. bank — of a river
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. bank — for money
  21. root — the cause
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. 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