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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.

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: club · present · leaves · vault · rash · current · staff · chair

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. current — of water
  3. club — for golf
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — there
  6. rash — hasty
  7. current — electric
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. staff — employees
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. rash — a series
  12. staff — employees
  13. current — happening now
  14. present — the time now
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. staff — a stick
  21. chair — a leader
  22. vault — a safe
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for dancing

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