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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. key — for a lock
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. spell — letters
  5. key — the most important part
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — a safe
  8. spell — magic
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. tube — a container
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. tube — the underground
  18. craft — boats
  19. key — in music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. craft — a skill
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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