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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 120 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pop — soda
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. vault — a safe
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pop — to visit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. key — in music
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. key — for a lock
  19. suit — in cards
  20. game — wild animals
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. game — a match
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. suit — to fit

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