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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rest — what's left
  8. object — a thing
  9. pit — a hole
  10. object — an aim
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. object — to protest
  14. pit — in a race
  15. key — the most important part
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. rest — a break
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wind — moving air
  22. toast — bread
  23. key — in music
  24. perch — the fish

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