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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: kick · game · key · rush · pop · vault · rock · clip

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pop — to visit
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. pop — music
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. key — in music
  8. game — wild animals
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. kick — in football
  11. key — for a lock
  12. game — a match
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. clip — to cut
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. clip — for paper
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. clip — a video
  19. key — the most important part
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. pop — soda
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rush — hurry

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