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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. key — for a lock
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bass — low music
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. key — in music
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stem — to come from
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a cup
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bass — the fish
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. key — the most important part
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mug — a face
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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