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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. firm — steady
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. vault — a safe
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. firm — decided
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. firm — a company
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — in music
  20. wake — a trail
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. season — in sport
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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