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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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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 · content · plane · vault · pitch · cell · nail · cap

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cap — a lid
  4. content — happy
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. vault — a safe
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cap — a hat
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. cell — in biology
  18. key — the most important part
  19. content — the amount
  20. cell — a phone
  21. key — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. cap — of ice
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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