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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. clip — for paper
  5. clip — a video
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — in music
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — a stone
  13. clip — to cut
  14. rock — music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bear — the animal
  21. vault — a safe
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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