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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. key — in music
  3. club — for dancing
  4. vault — a safe
  5. land — ground
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. spell — letters
  8. ball — a dance
  9. spell — magic
  10. land — a country
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. spell — a short time
  15. club — a group
  16. land — to come down
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. club — for golf
  19. key — the most important part
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. squash — to crush
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. key — for a lock

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