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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. track — to keep track
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. firm — decided
  5. key — the most important part
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. key — for a lock
  8. firm — steady
  9. key — in music
  10. pass — a permit
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. vault — a safe
  14. track — a song
  15. prune — to trim
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. kick — in football
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. track — a path
  24. prune — to trim

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