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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. field — a subject
  3. mark — a grade
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. vault — a safe
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. wake — a trail
  14. field — farmland
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mark — a trace
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. key — for a lock
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. field — for sport

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