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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 120 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a hat
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. cue — a hint
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cap — a lid
  9. key — in music
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cue — a signal
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wound — an injury
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — a safe
  22. wound — an injury
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. key — the most important part

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