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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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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: net · current · cue · mate · game · vault · key · land

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. current — happening now
  3. land — to come down
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. mate — a friend
  6. cue — a hint
  7. land — ground
  8. net — after costs
  9. cue — a signal
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. current — electric
  13. game — wild animals
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. mate — to breed
  16. vault — a safe
  17. mate — a partner
  18. net — in sport
  19. current — of water
  20. cue — for pool
  21. key — the most important part
  22. land — a country
  23. game — a match
  24. net — for catching

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