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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. key — in music
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. suit — in cards
  11. scale — size or range
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. craft — a skill
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. suit — clothes
  18. vault — a safe
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — for a lock
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. scale — in music
  23. craft — boats
  24. sharp — clever

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