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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 120 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: court · club · key · vault · snap · foot · staff · ground

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. vault — a safe
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. court — of a king
  5. staff — employees
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. court — for sport
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. club — for golf
  11. key — for a lock
  12. ground — the earth
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. club — for dancing
  15. ground — a position
  16. staff — employees
  17. key — the most important part
  18. staff — a stick
  19. snap — to click
  20. ground — crushed
  21. key — in music
  22. club — a group
  23. court — of law
  24. foot — the bottom

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