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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bass — low music
  3. pitch — completely
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a partner
  6. key — in music
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — the fish
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. drill — army training
  12. band — a ring
  13. craft — a skill
  14. drill — a practice
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. craft — boats
  17. drill — the tool
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. band — a music group
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. key — the most important part

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