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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pit — a hole
  4. can — a tin
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. key — for a lock
  8. can — a tin
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. key — the most important part
  14. pit — in a race
  15. hand — in cards
  16. can — to be able to
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. key — in music
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — a safe
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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