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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.

Make a worksheet

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: nail · vault · suit · mug · cold · swing · current · key

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. key — for a lock
  3. current — happening now
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. mug — a cup
  8. swing — music
  9. cold — not warm
  10. mug — to rob
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. current — electric
  15. vault — a safe
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mug — a face
  18. suit — to fit
  19. current — of water
  20. key — in music
  21. cold — an illness
  22. swing — in golf
  23. suit — in cards
  24. key — the most important part

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