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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bear — the animal
  5. chest — a box
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — in music
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. ground — a position
  12. track — a path
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. chest — of your body
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. ground — the earth
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. key — for a lock
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. ground — crushed
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bear — the animal
  24. chest — of your body

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