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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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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: roll · mark · game · key · trunk · vault · fork · swing

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. swing — to play on
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. mark — a grade
  8. swing — music
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. swing — in golf
  12. key — the most important part
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. mark — a trace
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a match
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. roll — a list
  24. key — for a lock

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