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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: vault · season · key · row · chip · hide · board · wake

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  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. key — the most important part
  2. key — in music
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. chip — to eat
  7. key — for a lock
  8. row — a line
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. row — to paddle
  13. chip — for betting
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. season — in sport
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — a trail
  19. board — to get on
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. board — a committee
  22. season — of the year
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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