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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. ball — a great time
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. degree — an amount
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. degree — temperature
  7. can — a tin
  8. rest — what's left
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. can — a tin
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. degree — from a university
  15. key — for a lock
  16. cap — a lid
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. cap — of ice
  20. vault — a safe
  21. can — to be able to
  22. cap — a hat
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — in music

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