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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rash — a series
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. rash — hasty
  9. bass — the fish
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. vault — a safe
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bass — low music
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. arm — a part of something

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