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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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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 · temple · firm · cell · file · lean · rash · vault

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. key — in music
  3. lean — to bend
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cell — a phone
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. firm — decided
  8. file — a tool
  9. key — the most important part
  10. firm — a company
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. key — for a lock
  15. lean — thin
  16. firm — steady
  17. rash — a series
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rash — hasty
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. file — a document
  22. file — a line of people
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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