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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. vault — a safe
  6. key — for a lock
  7. drill — army training
  8. key — in music
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. season — in sport
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stock — goods
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. drill — a practice
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bear — the animal
  19. drill — the tool
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. season — of the year
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the fish
  24. arm — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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