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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — to bear
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. cold — not warm
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. scale — in music
  10. ball — a great time
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. scale — size or range
  15. key — the most important part
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. cold — an illness
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ball — a dance
  22. key — in music
  23. rush — hurry
  24. ball — a round shape

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