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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. mug — to rob
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. club — for golf
  7. key — in music
  8. press — a publisher
  9. key — for a lock
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. key — the most important part
  13. mug — a cup
  14. march — music
  15. vault — a safe
  16. press — to push
  17. club — a group
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. march — the month
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mug — a face
  24. press — newspapers

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