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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: pit · foot · hand · staff · vault · firm · cabinet · key

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. staff — a stick
  4. firm — a company
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. hand — in cards
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. firm — steady
  9. pit — in a race
  10. vault — a safe
  11. firm — decided
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. key — the most important part
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. foot — a measure
  17. pit — a hole
  18. hand — help
  19. key — for a lock
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. key — in music
  24. foot — the bottom

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