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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 116 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: key · vault · spring · cue · content · mine · rush · race

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. race — a contest
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — of water
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. vault — a safe
  11. cue — a hint
  12. content — the amount
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. race — the arms race
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. race — humankind
  18. cue — a signal
  19. mine — for digging
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. rush — hurry
  22. key — in music
  23. spring — a coil
  24. content — happy

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