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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 120 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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — to breed
  4. field — a subject
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. mark — a grade
  7. key — in music
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. snap — to click
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. key — the most important part
  17. vault — a safe
  18. key — for a lock
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. field — for sport
  22. field — farmland
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mate — a partner

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