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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. toast — bread
  5. content — the amount
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. key — for a lock
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. key — the most important part
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. content — happy
  13. rash — a series
  14. key — in music
  15. net — for catching
  16. rash — hasty
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. net — after costs
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. net — in sport
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. vault — a safe

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