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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: swing · vault · drill · sharp · wax · charge · face · key

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. key — the most important part
  3. drill — the tool
  4. key — in music
  5. key — for a lock
  6. sharp — clever
  7. swing — in golf
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to confront
  11. swing — to play on
  12. vault — a safe
  13. swing — music
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — electricity
  18. face — to point toward
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — a practice
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. charge — a price
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — for sculpting

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