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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bound — certain
  5. pop — music
  6. bound — tied together
  7. vault — a safe
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. object — to protest
  10. scale — size or range
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. pop — soda
  13. bound — obliged
  14. key — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pop — to visit
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. object — a thing
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. scale — in music
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. straw — dry grass

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