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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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468
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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. can — to be able to
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — hasty
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bass — the fish
  12. squash — to crush
  13. can — a tin
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bass — low music
  17. squash — the sport
  18. present — there
  19. present — the time now
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. present — a gift
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. can — a tin
  24. key — in music

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