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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: bat · band · suit · jam · bay · dip · cabinet · vault

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. suit — to fit
  4. dip — to sink
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. vault — a safe
  13. band — a music group
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. band — a ring
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. jam — in traffic

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