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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  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. mug — a cup
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mate — a partner
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. mug — a face
  8. stem — to come from
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. key — in music
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — happy
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. mate — to breed
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mate — a friend
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mug — to rob
  23. content — the amount
  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