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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  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. cap — a hat
  2. bulb — for light
  3. object — to protest
  4. band — a ring
  5. vault — a safe
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. object — an aim
  8. band — a music group
  9. key — in music
  10. stock — goods
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. fine — all right
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. stock — shares
  15. bulb — for light
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. object — a thing
  18. cap — a lid
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fine — high quality
  23. cap — of ice
  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