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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: rush · vault · key · pitch · spring · bound · rule · nail

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. rule — a law
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pitch — completely
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. key — in music
  12. bound — certain
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bound — obliged
  15. rush — hurry
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — the season
  19. vault — a safe
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. spring — a coil
  22. rule — government
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. key — for a lock

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