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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. key — for a lock
  3. spring — a coil
  4. deal — to handle
  5. spring — of water
  6. key — in music
  7. charge — in control
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. charge — electricity
  10. cap — a lid
  11. vault — a safe
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. kid — child
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. spring — the season
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. cap — a hat
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. key — the most important part
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. charge — a price
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. kid — to tease

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