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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. key — for a lock
  7. race — the arms race
  8. face — to confront
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. game — a match
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — a contest
  15. band — a music group
  16. band — a ring
  17. face — to point toward
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. game — wild animals
  21. key — the most important part
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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