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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: band · rush · cell · firm · key · ball · vault · can

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. key — for a lock
  3. can — a tin
  4. ball — a great time
  5. firm — decided
  6. key — in music
  7. vault — a safe
  8. band — a music group
  9. firm — a company
  10. can — a tin
  11. rush — hurry
  12. can — to be able to
  13. cell — a phone
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. key — the most important part
  16. firm — steady
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. ball — a dance
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a ring
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cell — in a prison

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