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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. ground — crushed
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. pass — a permit
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — the earth
  13. foot — a measure
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. key — in music
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. key — for a lock

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