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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. key — for a lock
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. key — in music
  10. craft — boats
  11. race — a contest
  12. key — the most important part
  13. race — the arms race
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. race — humankind
  16. ball — a dance
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. craft — a skill
  22. vault — a safe
  23. toast — bread
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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