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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 116 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: game · hand · racket · staff · vault · dip · rock · cap

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. vault — a safe
  4. rock — music
  5. hand — in cards
  6. rock — a stone
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. game — a match
  9. cap — a lid
  10. staff — a stick
  11. game — wild animals
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. staff — employees
  15. cap — of ice
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. dip — to sink
  20. hand — help
  21. cap — a hat
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. hand — part of the body

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