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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. spring — of water
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. firm — a company
  7. key — the most important part
  8. kid — child
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bark — to shout
  12. firm — steady
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. spring — the season
  16. firm — decided
  17. lean — to bend
  18. pass — a permit
  19. kid — to tease
  20. spring — a coil
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. key — for a lock
  23. lean — thin
  24. vault — a safe

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