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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: race · vault · bulb · chip · key · ground · nail · bay

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. key — for a lock
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — crushed
  6. key — the most important part
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. key — in music
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chip — to eat
  18. ground — a position
  19. race — humankind
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bulb — for light

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