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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 116 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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. key — for a lock
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. content — the amount
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rest — what's left
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. key — the most important part
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. vault — a safe
  17. hand — help
  18. content — happy
  19. wound — an injury
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. ball — a great time
  22. key — in music
  23. ball — a dance
  24. hand — in cards

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