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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bass — the fish
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — low music
  7. capital — a city
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. kick — in football
  10. vault — a safe
  11. key — for a lock
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. capital — money
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. mark — a grade
  23. key — in music
  24. capital — a big letter

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