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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: staff · jam · swing · cabinet · mouse · ball · stem · vault

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ball — a dance
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. ball — a great time
  6. staff — a stick
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. swing — in golf
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. vault — a safe
  15. stem — to come from
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. swing — to play on
  23. swing — music
  24. stem — a stem cell

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