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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bass — low music
  3. rule — government
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. object — to protest
  9. key — the most important part
  10. row — a line
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. key — for a lock
  16. row — to paddle
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. rule — a law
  20. object — a thing
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. object — an aim
  23. bass — the fish
  24. key — in music

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