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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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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: key · field · last · vault · pass · safe · lie · staff

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. last — final
  3. field — a subject
  4. staff — employees
  5. key — in music
  6. lie — to recline
  7. staff — employees
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. vault — a safe
  13. field — for sport
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. staff — a stick
  16. field — farmland
  17. last — finally
  18. pass — a permit
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. lie — an untruth

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