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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · cabinet · object · straw · staff · board · ground

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. object — to protest
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. ground — crushed
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. staff — employees
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. staff — a stick
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. object — a thing
  16. ground — the earth
  17. vault — a safe
  18. ground — a position
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. board — a committee
  21. object — an aim
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. staff — employees
  24. straw — a straw man

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