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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: content · key · vault · stem · swing · bound · file · can

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. key — in music
  3. swing — music
  4. content — happy
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. file — a tool
  9. bound — certain
  10. stem — to come from
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. key — the most important part
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. key — for a lock
  16. swing — to play on
  17. file — a line of people
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. bound — tied together
  20. can — a tin
  21. vault — a safe
  22. file — a document
  23. bound — obliged
  24. swing — in golf

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