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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — a cup
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. vault — a safe
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. pop — to visit
  7. key — the most important part
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — all right
  10. mug — to rob
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — music
  14. row — a line
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. key — for a lock
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. key — in music
  23. row — to paddle
  24. rush — hurry

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