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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. track — a path
  3. shower — rain
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. track — to keep track
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. key — for a lock
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. key — in music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. track — a song
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bulb — for light
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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