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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — in music
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. key — in music
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — to crush
  12. mate — to breed
  13. vault — a safe
  14. squash — the sport
  15. key — the most important part
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. mine — for digging
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mine — an explosive

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