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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. spring — the season
  4. key — in music
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. spring — of water
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a word
  11. hand — help
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bank — of a river
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. vault — a safe
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — a price
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bank — for money
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bank — for money
  22. hand — in cards
  23. root — of a plant
  24. spring — a coil

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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