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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: fork · key · vault · deal · calf · bear · chest · face

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bear — the animal
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. chest — of your body
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. key — in music
  13. key — the most important part
  14. face — part of the head
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bear — the animal
  18. chest — of your body
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. face — to point toward
  22. deal — to handle
  23. face — to confront
  24. chest — a box

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