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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. key — for a lock
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. firm — steady
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. capital — money
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. firm — a company
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. toast — bread
  21. key — the most important part
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. key — in music

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