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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: vault · key · content · rock · rest · mug · rule · nail

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mug — a cup
  6. key — the most important part
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rule — a law
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. vault — a safe
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rest — a break
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rest — what's left
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. content — happy
  18. mug — a face
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. rock — music
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. content — the amount
  23. key — in music
  24. nail — for a hammer

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