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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 116 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 · bowl · swing · staff · degree · current · vault · tear

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. key — in music
  3. tear — from crying
  4. swing — music
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. current — happening now
  8. degree — temperature
  9. staff — a stick
  10. tear — from crying
  11. staff — employees
  12. vault — a safe
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. degree — from a university
  16. swing — to play on
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. swing — in golf
  19. staff — employees
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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