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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. key — in music
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. vault — a safe
  8. mug — a face
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. present — a gift
  11. mug — a cup
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. game — wild animals
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. key — for a lock
  18. game — a match
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — there
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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