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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. rock — a stone
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. race — the arms race
  7. key — in music
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. cell — in biology
  10. rock — music
  11. scale — in music
  12. vault — a safe
  13. scale — size or range
  14. board — a committee
  15. key — the most important part
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. board — to get on
  19. ball — a dance
  20. race — a contest
  21. key — for a lock
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. ball — a great time
  24. race — humankind

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