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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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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 · net · nail · temple · snap · face · vault · club

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. club — for golf
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. face — to point toward
  6. vault — a safe
  7. key — in music
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — the most important part
  16. face — to confront
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. club — a group
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to click
  21. face — part of the head
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. club — for dancing
  24. temple — a place of worship

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