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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: key · temple · stand · vault · last · mug · cap · bowl

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. last — final
  3. key — the most important part
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cap — a hat
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. last — finally
  10. cap — a lid
  11. last — to go on
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. key — in music
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. vault — a safe
  18. mug — a face
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mug — to rob
  23. cap — of ice
  24. temple — side of the head

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