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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: foot · mark · tear · staff · court · bulb · vault · ball

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. staff — employees
  4. court — of a king
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. tear — from crying
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. mark — a grade
  9. court — of law
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. staff — a stick
  14. ball — a great time
  15. tear — from crying
  16. foot — a measure
  17. court — for sport
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. tear — to rip
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bulb — for light
  23. staff — employees
  24. mark — a trace

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