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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 116 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — in music
  3. present — there
  4. spring — the season
  5. vault — a safe
  6. spring — a coil
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. rash — a series
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — in a road
  11. present — a gift
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. present — the time now
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. key — for a lock
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. mug — a face
  20. rash — hasty
  21. spring — of water
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — to rob
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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