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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. drill — army training
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. key — the most important part
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. key — in music
  9. sharp — clever
  10. drill — a practice
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. net — in sport
  13. vault — a safe
  14. suit — to fit
  15. net — for catching
  16. drill — the tool
  17. key — for a lock
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. cap — a lid
  20. pass — a permit
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. net — after costs
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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