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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: vault · fan · saw · key · hand · pit · chair · date

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. key — the most important part
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. chair — a leader
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. saw — the tool
  9. key — for a lock
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. saw — the tool
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. date — the fruit
  16. pit — a hole
  17. key — in music
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. hand — in cards
  20. hand — help
  21. pit — in a race
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. chair — a professorship

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