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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. file — a line of people
  3. vault — a safe
  4. root — the cause
  5. swing — music
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. root — of a word
  8. kid — child
  9. key — in music
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. mug — a face
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. file — a tool
  14. swing — in golf
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. file — a document
  17. swing — to play on
  18. root — of a plant
  19. kid — to tease
  20. mug — to rob
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mug — a cup

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