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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 120 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 · fine · calf · chest · vault · wake · arm · game

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. key — in music
  5. chest — of your body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. key — for a lock
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. game — a match
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. key — the most important part
  17. chest — a box
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. chest — of your body
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — a trail
  24. vault — a safe

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