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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 116 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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. spring — a coil
  4. scale — in music
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. face — to point toward
  7. mug — a face
  8. spring — the season
  9. rest — a break
  10. current — of water
  11. vault — a safe
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — for a lock
  14. current — electric
  15. mug — to rob
  16. rest — what's left
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to confront
  19. key — in music
  20. spring — of water
  21. mug — a cup
  22. scale — size or range
  23. current — happening now
  24. rest — what's left

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