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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: present · temple · vault · date · staff · last · suit · wake

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. suit — to fit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. staff — employees
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. last — finally
  11. last — to go on
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. present — a gift
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. suit — in cards
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wake — a trail
  18. suit — clothes
  19. last — final
  20. date — the fruit
  21. vault — a safe
  22. present — the time now
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. temple — a place of worship

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