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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bass — the fish
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. track — to keep track
  7. march — the month
  8. cell — in biology
  9. cell — a phone
  10. key — in music
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bass — low music
  13. key — for a lock
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. track — a song
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. mug — a face
  19. key — the most important part
  20. content — happy
  21. content — the amount
  22. track — a path
  23. march — music
  24. march — the month

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