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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: temple · board · mate · key · pop · vault · foot · shower

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. board — to get on
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. mate — a friend
  7. pop — soda
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. vault — a safe
  10. pop — music
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. key — for a lock
  13. board — a committee
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mate — to breed
  16. key — in music
  17. shower — to wash
  18. shower — rain
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. mate — a partner
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. foot — a measure
  24. pop — to visit

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