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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. key — in music
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. charge — a price
  9. vault — a safe
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. key — the most important part
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. row — to paddle
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. capital — a city
  20. charge — electricity
  21. row — a line
  22. capital — money
  23. key — for a lock
  24. charge — in control

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