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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 116 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
468
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: squash · mug · nail · key · ball · row · deal · vault

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. key — for a lock
  3. vault — a safe
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. row — a line
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. ball — a great time
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mug — to rob
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — to handle
  16. row — to paddle
  17. squash — the sport
  18. mug — a cup
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. key — in music
  21. squash — to crush
  22. mug — a face
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. key — the most important part

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