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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. content — the amount
  4. chair — a leader
  5. race — the arms race
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. race — a contest
  8. cap — a lid
  9. key — the most important part
  10. content — happy
  11. key — for a lock
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cap — of ice
  15. race — humankind
  16. pop — music
  17. key — in music
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. vault — a safe
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. pop — soda
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. cap — a hat

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