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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. track — a path
  3. track — to keep track
  4. swing — in golf
  5. saw — the tool
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — in music
  8. swing — to play on
  9. vault — a safe
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rule — government
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. track — a song
  19. swing — music
  20. rule — a law
  21. saw — the tool
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. key — for a lock
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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