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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. tear — from crying
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. vault — a safe
  6. staff — employees
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. key — in music
  11. tear — to rip
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. tear — from crying
  14. staff — employees
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pop — soda
  18. key — for a lock
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. staff — a stick
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. pop — music

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