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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. firm — a company
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. file — a tool
  6. key — the most important part
  7. firm — steady
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. vault — a safe
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. file — a line of people
  15. firm — decided
  16. key — in music
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. file — a document
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. key — for a lock
  24. sharp — with an edge

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