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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. object — a thing
  3. content — happy
  4. object — an aim
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. vault — a safe
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. key — in music
  13. object — to protest
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. key — for a lock
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. content — the amount

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