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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. band — a music group
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. track — a path
  12. band — a ring
  13. track — a song
  14. vault — a safe
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. can — to be able to
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bulb — for light
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — in music
  23. bat — in an idiom
  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