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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: wind · cabinet · rule · key · mine · plane · staff · vault

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. plane — a tool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. key — in music
  6. wind — moving air
  7. vault — a safe
  8. rule — government
  9. staff — a stick
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. staff — employees
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — the most important part
  17. wind — moving air
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — for digging
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. staff — employees
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. rule — a law

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