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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: tube · key · vault · racket · face · fan · deal · cabinet

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. deal — to handle
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. tube — the underground
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. tube — a container
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. key — for a lock
  14. face — to point toward
  15. vault — a safe
  16. face — part of the head
  17. key — in music
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. face — to confront
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. tube — in a tire

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