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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: pitch · spring · key · roll · stick · vault · cue · nail

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cue — a signal
  4. spring — a coil
  5. roll — a list
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. key — in music
  8. roll — a cake
  9. pitch — completely
  10. vault — a safe
  11. cue — for pool
  12. key — for a lock
  13. spring — the season
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. key — the most important part
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. cue — a hint

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