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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. key — in music
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. spring — of water
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. vault — a safe
  11. land — ground
  12. key — the most important part
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. land — a country
  16. spring — a coil
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. spring — the season
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. land — to come down
  24. fan — a supporter

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