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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. chest — a box
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. chest — of your body
  8. key — in music
  9. key — the most important part
  10. chest — of your body
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. squash — the sport
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. craft — boats
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. squash — to crush
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — a skill
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. foot — a measure
  22. rush — hurry
  23. vault — a safe
  24. key — for a lock

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