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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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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: temple · vault · fork · mine · club · staff · jam · wound

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. fork — in a road
  3. wound — an injury
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. vault — a safe
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. wound — an injury
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. club — a group
  13. club — for golf
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. club — for dancing
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. mine — for digging
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. staff — a stick

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