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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: staff · can · vault · temple · wound · object · chest · jam

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. staff — a stick
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. object — to protest
  5. chest — of your body
  6. wound — an injury
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. can — a tin
  11. wound — an injury
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. staff — employees
  14. can — a tin
  15. chest — of your body
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. staff — employees
  18. can — to be able to
  19. chest — a box
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — a safe
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. object — a thing

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