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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: key · saw · fork · cabinet · pit · leaves · present · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. present — a gift
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. present — there
  6. pit — in a race
  7. present — the time now
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pit — a hole
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. key — for a lock
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. key — in music
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. fork — in a road
  24. saw — the tool

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