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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pop — to visit
  7. scale — in music
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. key — the most important part
  10. rash — a series
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. chest — of your body
  13. vault — a safe
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. rash — hasty
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. chest — a box
  18. pop — music
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. scale — size or range
  21. key — in music
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pop — soda
  24. chest — of your body

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