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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 116 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. shower — rain
  5. cap — a hat
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. last — finally
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cap — a lid
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. last — to go on
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. vault — a safe
  15. shower — to wash
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. present — there
  18. key — the most important part
  19. cap — of ice
  20. present — a gift
  21. key — for a lock
  22. last — final
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. key — in music

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