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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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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: sharp · spring · key · deal · tear · game · vault · bay

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. tear — to rip
  5. key — for a lock
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. deal — to handle
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. spring — a coil
  15. tear — from crying
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. spring — of water
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — in music
  21. game — a match
  22. sharp — clever
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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