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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. key — the most important part
  5. squash — the sport
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. date — the fruit
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. key — for a lock
  11. season — of the year
  12. row — a line
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. row — to paddle
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. squash — to crush
  21. key — in music
  22. season — in sport
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — a safe

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