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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 · chair · vault · leaves · calf · fall · cell · mug

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. key — for a lock
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. chair — a leader
  8. mug — a face
  9. key — the most important part
  10. mug — to rob
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. cell — in biology
  13. vault — a safe
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. fall — the season
  19. mug — a cup
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. cell — a phone
  23. key — in music
  24. leaves — to go away

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