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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 116 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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. vault — a safe
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rest — what's left
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. ball — a great time
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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