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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. rule — government
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. track — to keep track
  6. craft — a skill
  7. rule — a law
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. key — for a lock
  10. track — a path
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — a safe
  13. track — a song
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stem — to come from
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. craft — boats
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — in football

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