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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: stand · key · staff · snap · vault · foot · mug · kid

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. foot — a measure
  3. staff — employees
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. key — in music
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mug — a cup
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. snap — to click
  11. staff — a stick
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. key — for a lock
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. vault — a safe
  19. stand — to bear
  20. mug — to rob
  21. kid — to tease
  22. mug — a face
  23. kid — child
  24. staff — employees

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