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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. lie — to recline
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. band — a music group
  15. band — a ring
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bulb — for light
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. fork — in a road
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. lie — an untruth

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