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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. key — the most important part
  5. charge — electricity
  6. ball — a great time
  7. vault — a safe
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. fall — the season
  10. ball — a dance
  11. charge — a price
  12. key — in music
  13. race — humankind
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. race — the arms race
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fall — to drop
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. key — for a lock
  23. race — a contest
  24. fork — in a road

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