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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. tear — from crying
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. key — the most important part
  8. foot — a measure
  9. pit — a hole
  10. vault — a safe
  11. key — for a lock
  12. drill — a practice
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. drill — army training
  17. tear — to rip
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. tear — from crying
  20. game — wild animals
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. game — a match
  23. pit — in a race
  24. drill — the tool

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