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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. key — for a lock
  3. vault — a safe
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. key — the most important part
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. key — in music
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. track — a song
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. track — a path
  15. track — to keep track
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. bank — for money

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