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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. vault — a safe
  3. row — a line
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. drill — the tool
  8. can — to be able to
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. key — for a lock
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — the amount
  13. key — in music
  14. can — a tin
  15. drill — a practice
  16. date — the fruit
  17. can — a tin
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. content — happy
  23. drill — army training
  24. key — the most important part

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