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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · present · bound · stick · nail · spring · suit · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. present — there
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bound — tied together
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bound — obliged
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bound — certain
  10. spring — a coil
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. suit — clothes
  13. present — the time now
  14. spring — the season
  15. present — a gift
  16. key — the most important part
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. suit — to fit
  20. spring — of water
  21. key — in music
  22. suit — in cards
  23. key — for a lock
  24. nail — for a hammer

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