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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 120 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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. bear — the animal
  3. charge — electricity
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bear — the animal
  6. chest — a box
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. charge — in control
  11. plane — a tool
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. charge — a price
  14. key — in music
  15. chest — of your body
  16. spring — of water
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. key — for a lock
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. chest — of your body
  22. spring — a coil
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. key — the most important part

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