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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. vault — a safe
  4. spring — of water
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — a coil
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. craft — boats
  14. key — in music
  15. craft — a skill
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. game — wild animals
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. stand — to bear
  20. key — for a lock
  21. game — a match
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. safe — out of danger

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