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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 116 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
468
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 · stock · cabinet · stick · nail · spring · cap · vault

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cap — of ice
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. spring — of water
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stock — goods
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cap — a hat
  15. spring — the season
  16. key — in music
  17. stock — shares
  18. cap — a lid
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. key — for a lock
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. spring — a coil
  23. vault — a safe
  24. nail — for a hammer

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