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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bound — certain
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — obliged
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. toast — bread
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. sharp — clever
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. key — in music
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. kick — in football

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