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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. content — happy
  5. drill — army training
  6. drill — the tool
  7. content — the amount
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. key — the most important part
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. drill — a practice
  17. vault — a safe
  18. scale — size or range
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. scale — in music
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pitch — completely
  24. key — in music

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