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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: prune · current · cap · key · vault · fall · suit · rest

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. vault — a safe
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — in music
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. cap — a hat
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fall — to drop
  12. cap — a lid
  13. current — electric
  14. cap — of ice
  15. current — happening now
  16. suit — to fit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fall — the season
  19. prune — to trim
  20. suit — in cards
  21. current — of water
  22. key — for a lock
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. rest — what's left

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