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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — in music
  4. fall — to drop
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. club — for dancing
  7. fall — to drop
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. cue — a signal
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. club — a group
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. vault — a safe
  19. foot — a measure
  20. club — for golf
  21. key — for a lock
  22. cue — a hint
  23. fall — the season
  24. cue — for pool

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