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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 · pit · fine · fork · can · vault · race · bowl

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. can — to be able to
  5. fine — all right
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. can — a tin
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. fine — high quality
  13. pit — a hole
  14. key — in music
  15. race — humankind
  16. race — a contest
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — in a road
  19. can — a tin
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. race — the arms race
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bowl — a dish

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