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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: suit · bass · track · chest · staff · can · net · vault

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. chest — a box
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. track — a path
  6. suit — to fit
  7. staff — employees
  8. track — a song
  9. chest — of your body
  10. suit — in cards
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bass — the fish
  13. track — to keep track
  14. staff — employees
  15. can — to be able to
  16. staff — a stick
  17. net — after costs
  18. suit — clothes
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — for catching
  21. can — a tin
  22. bass — low music
  23. vault — a safe
  24. can — a tin

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