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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 120 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. key — in music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mug — to rob
  7. fall — the season
  8. bulb — for light
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mug — a face
  13. bat — the animal
  14. rock — music
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. mug — a cup
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rock — to move gently

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