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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.

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: leaves · spell · vault · arm · key · rush · rash · fall

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rash — a series
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rash — hasty
  7. spell — magic
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. key — for a lock
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. spell — a short time
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. spell — letters
  20. vault — a safe
  21. fall — the season
  22. key — in music
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — to drop

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