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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
468
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: bound · kid · vault · bore · staff · coach · stick · current

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. kid — child
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. current — happening now
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — tied together
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. current — of water
  16. bound — certain
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — to drill
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. current — electric
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. staff — employees
  24. vault — a safe

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