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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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. key — in music
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — low music
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. key — for a lock
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. can — to be able to
  13. degree — an amount
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bass — the fish
  16. degree — temperature
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. key — the most important part
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. can — a tin

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