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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. vault — a safe
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. board — to get on
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hand — in cards
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bore — to drill
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — for a lock
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — low music
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bore — to tire
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. board — a committee
  23. hand — help
  24. bass — the instrument

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