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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 116 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. fall — to drop
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bank — for money
  5. root — of a word
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bank — of a river
  12. root — of a plant
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bank — for money
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bass — low music
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. key — for a lock
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. root — the cause
  22. key — in music
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fall — the season

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