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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. key — in music
  4. drill — army training
  5. root — of a plant
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. present — a gift
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. present — there
  10. vault — a safe
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. drill — the tool
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. root — the cause
  16. drill — a practice
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. root — of a word
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. key — the most important part
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. present — the time now

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