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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
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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: craft · vault · lie · leaves · staff · fan · squash · rush

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. staff — employees
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. squash — to crush
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. vault — a safe
  10. craft — boats
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. lie — to recline
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. squash — the sport
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rush — hurry

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