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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
468
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: chest · bark · saw · vault · can · staff · roll · cue

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. cue — for pool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. vault — a safe
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bark — to shout
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. can — a tin
  12. roll — a cake
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. roll — a list
  17. chest — of your body
  18. can — a tin
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. chest — of your body
  21. saw — the tool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. can — to be able to

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