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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  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. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. kid — child
  3. key — the most important part
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bulb — for light
  6. prune — to trim
  7. land — to come down
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. key — for a lock
  10. land — ground
  11. band — a ring
  12. season — in sport
  13. prune — to trim
  14. band — a music group
  15. key — in music
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. season — of the year
  20. kid — to tease
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. land — a country
  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