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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: trunk · chair · vault · jam · bowl · staff · roll · rush

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. staff — employees
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. staff — a stick
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. roll — a list
  22. staff — employees
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. chair — a leader

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