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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 116 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rule — a law
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bulb — for light
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. key — in music
  10. degree — temperature
  11. rule — government
  12. bulb — for light
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. face — part of the head
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. degree — an amount
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — to point toward
  20. degree — from a university
  21. key — the most important part
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. key — for a lock

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