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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 116 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: cabinet · firm · band · dip · craft · vault · rush · bass

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. firm — decided
  10. bass — the fish
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bass — low music
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. vault — a safe
  17. craft — boats
  18. rush — hurry
  19. firm — steady
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. firm — a company
  22. band — a music group
  23. craft — a skill
  24. band — a ring

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