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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: club · vault · jam · stem · staff · mug · spell · trunk

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. mug — a face
  3. vault — a safe
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. staff — employees
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. club — for dancing
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. spell — magic
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. stem — to come from
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. mug — a cup
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. spell — letters
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for golf
  22. spell — a short time
  23. staff — a stick
  24. mug — to rob

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