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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. date — the fruit
  4. fine — all right
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. staff — a stick
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. key — in music
  11. ball — a dance
  12. vault — a safe
  13. key — the most important part
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — completely
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ball — a great time
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fine — high quality
  24. ball — a round shape

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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