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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. vault — a safe
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. key — the most important part
  11. foot — a measure
  12. key — for a lock
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. key — in music
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fine — all right
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fine — high quality

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