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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: can · net · court · fork · toast · vault · staff · cabinet

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  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. net — after costs
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. net — for catching
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. fork — in a road
  7. staff — employees
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. court — of law
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. court — of a king
  13. toast — bread
  14. court — for sport
  15. can — a tin
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. staff — employees
  19. net — in sport
  20. can — to be able to
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. staff — a stick
  23. can — a tin
  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