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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: squash · fork · stick · pit · vault · shower · fan · key

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. key — for a lock
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. squash — the sport
  9. pit — in a race
  10. key — the most important part
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. squash — to crush
  13. vault — a safe
  14. shower — rain
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. key — in music
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. shower — to wash
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fork — in a road

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