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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: swing · stand · cabinet · racket · tube · staff · vault · mouse

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. staff — employees
  3. stand — to bear
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. staff — employees
  7. swing — music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. swing — to play on
  11. vault — a safe
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. tube — a container
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. tube — the underground
  19. staff — a stick
  20. swing — in golf
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. cabinet — ministers

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