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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. scale — in music
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. key — for a lock
  7. vault — a safe
  8. face — to confront
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. key — in music
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. scale — size or range
  16. face — part of the head
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. face — to point toward
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. chest — of your body
  21. mine — for digging
  22. toast — bread
  23. chest — of your body
  24. key — the most important part

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