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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. key — for a lock
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. march — the month
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. march — music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. wind — moving air
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. vault — a safe
  15. shower — to wash
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. key — in music
  18. wind — moving air
  19. mine — for digging
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. shower — rain
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. fan — a supporter

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