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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — a safe
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. track — a path
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a lid
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bass — low music
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. track — a song
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bass — the fish
  22. scale — in music
  23. track — to keep track
  24. scale — size or range

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