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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. key — in music
  3. rest — a break
  4. band — a music group
  5. rest — what's left
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. key — for a lock
  9. band — a ring
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rule — a law
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. key — the most important part
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rule — government
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. vault — a safe
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rest — what's left
  24. kick — in football

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