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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: saw · track · vault · key · board · squash · coach · spring

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. key — the most important part
  3. board — a committee
  4. spring — of water
  5. track — a path
  6. key — in music
  7. squash — to crush
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. track — a song
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. board — to get on
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. saw — the tool
  16. spring — a coil
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. key — for a lock
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. spring — the season
  21. saw — the tool
  22. squash — the sport
  23. vault — a safe
  24. squash — the vegetable

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