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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 116 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. key — the most important part
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. rest — a break
  5. bound — tied together
  6. club — for dancing
  7. tube — the underground
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. club — a group
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. key — for a lock
  12. pass — a permit
  13. tube — a container
  14. bound — certain
  15. club — for golf
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bound — obliged
  21. key — in music
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. stem — to come from
  24. pass — to succeed

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