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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. stock — goods
  3. object — an aim
  4. key — the most important part
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. ball — a great time
  7. dip — to sink
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. key — in music
  10. spell — letters
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. object — to protest
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. spell — magic
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. spell — a short time
  18. vault — a safe
  19. key — for a lock
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. object — a thing
  22. stock — shares
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. ball — a dance

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