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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: fan · rule · swing · saw · vault · key · pitch · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rule — government
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. key — the most important part
  9. swing — in golf
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. firm — decided
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. swing — to play on
  15. saw — the tool
  16. swing — music
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. key — in music
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. saw — the tool
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. firm — steady
  24. rule — a law

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