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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.

Make a worksheet

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: vault · march · season · cabinet · chair · date · board · trunk

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. season — of the year
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. date — the fruit
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. vault — a safe
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. march — the month
  10. board — a committee
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. march — the month
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. board — to get on
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. march — music
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. season — in sport
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. chair — a leader

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