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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. key — for a lock
  4. saw — the tool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. stem — to come from
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. key — the most important part
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. race — a contest
  12. key — in music
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — the arms race
  15. vault — a safe
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rush — hurry
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stem — of a plant

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