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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 120 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: bound · pound · foot · vault · ball · mate · staff · wake

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bound — obliged
  11. ball — a great time
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bound — tied together
  15. wake — a trail
  16. foot — a measure
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. vault — a safe
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bound — certain
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. staff — employees
  24. mate — a friend

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