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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: ball · key · cell · wind · wake · mark · vault · pop

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. key — in music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. cell — in biology
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. pop — soda
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. ball — a great time
  15. cell — a phone
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pop — music
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wind — moving air
  23. key — for a lock
  24. wind — moving air

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