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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: court · bay · bowl · vault · fine · rock · spell · key

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. spell — letters
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. court — for sport
  8. rock — a stone
  9. spell — a short time
  10. key — for a lock
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — all right
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. spell — magic
  15. rock — music
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. court — of a king
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. court — of law
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. key — in music
  24. vault — a safe

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