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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 120 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: staff · mouse · wax · cabinet · season · vault · pitcher · coach

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. season — in sport
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — of the year
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. vault — a safe
  11. staff — a stick
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wax — to grow
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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