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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. game — a match
  4. key — the most important part
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. key — in music
  9. game — wild animals
  10. roll — a list
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. date — the fruit
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. key — for a lock
  15. vault — a safe
  16. mug — a cup
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — obliged
  20. mug — a face
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bound — certain

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