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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. present — the time now
  4. key — for a lock
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. present — a gift
  7. vault — a safe
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. board — a committee
  10. key — in music
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. key — the most important part
  17. ball — a dance
  18. present — there
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. ball — a great time
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. board — to get on
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. trunk — of a car

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