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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.

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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: ball · stick · key · vault · bound · wind

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bound — certain
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bound — obliged
  9. key — the most important part
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. key — in music
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bound — tied together
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — a safe
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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