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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rush — hurry
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. key — in music
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. key — for a lock
  13. charge — a price
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. can — to be able to
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. charge — electricity
  21. cell — in biology
  22. date — the fruit
  23. cell — a phone
  24. charge — in control

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