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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: field · mark · cabinet · current · calf · vault · staff · spring

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. spring — a coil
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. mark — a trace
  5. staff — employees
  6. field — for sport
  7. spring — the season
  8. mark — a grade
  9. staff — a stick
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. field — farmland
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. vault — a safe
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. current — electric
  16. current — happening now
  17. spring — of water
  18. field — a subject
  19. staff — employees
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. current — of water
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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