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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: toast · mine · staff · deal · fork · roll · suit · vault

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. suit — in cards
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. staff — employees
  5. roll — a list
  6. suit — clothes
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. roll — a cake
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. deal — to handle
  13. vault — a safe
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. suit — to fit
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — in a road
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mine — belonging to me

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