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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. vault — a safe
  6. key — the most important part
  7. row — a line
  8. ball — a great time
  9. row — to paddle
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — the season
  13. ball — a dance
  14. spring — of water
  15. cap — a hat
  16. key — in music
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — of the year
  20. cap — of ice
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. key — for a lock
  24. season — to add flavour

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