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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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 — a strongbox
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. roll — a list
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. key — for a lock
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. roll — a cake
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. vault — a safe
  20. track — a path
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. key — in music

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