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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: coach · pop · vault · staff · press · rash · cabinet · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rash — hasty
  3. staff — employees
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pop — music
  7. bank — for money
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. staff — a stick
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — a series
  13. bank — of a river
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pop — to visit
  16. press — newspapers
  17. pop — soda
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. staff — employees

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