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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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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: key · mate · drill · vault · pitcher · jam · bank · temple

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bank — for money
  4. mate — a partner
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. mate — a friend
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. drill — a practice
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. drill — army training
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bank — for money
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bank — of a river
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. key — in music
  20. mate — to breed
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. key — for a lock
  24. jam — a tight spot

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