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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 120 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. suit — in cards
  3. key — for a lock
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. scale — size or range
  6. spell — magic
  7. fine — high quality
  8. mug — a face
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — a safe
  11. spell — letters
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. key — in music
  16. spell — a short time
  17. suit — clothes
  18. key — the most important part
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. mug — a cup
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. scale — in music
  23. fine — all right
  24. suit — to fit

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