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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: chest · roll · prune · vault · race · key · deal · suit

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. key — the most important part
  3. prune — to trim
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. chest — a box
  7. roll — a cake
  8. key — in music
  9. chest — of your body
  10. prune — to trim
  11. race — humankind
  12. chest — of your body
  13. race — a contest
  14. race — the arms race
  15. roll — a list
  16. suit — in cards
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. suit — to fit
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. key — for a lock
  24. suit — clothes

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