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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. vault — a safe
  3. scale — size or range
  4. drill — the tool
  5. key — in music
  6. key — for a lock
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. drill — a practice
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. foot — a measure
  11. sharp — clever
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. drill — army training
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. key — the most important part
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. temple — side of the head

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