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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.

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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. chest — a box
  3. key — in music
  4. pop — music
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pop — soda
  9. cell — in biology
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rock — a stone
  12. court — of law
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. chest — of your body
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of a king
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. chest — of your body
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — for a lock
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pop — to visit
  23. cell — a phone
  24. mouse — the animal

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