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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
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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: vault · can · plane · bound · date · court · cabinet · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. can — a tin
  3. court — of law
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. vault — a safe
  7. court — for sport
  8. plane — a tool
  9. court — of a king
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bound — tied together
  12. staff — employees
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. can — a tin
  15. bound — certain
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. can — to be able to
  19. date — the fruit
  20. bound — obliged
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. staff — employees
  24. cabinet — ministers

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