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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. key — in music
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bass — low music
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bore — to drill
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. wound — an injury
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. key — for a lock
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bulb — for light
  22. key — the most important part
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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