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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.

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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. last — finally
  3. key — for a lock
  4. last — to go on
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wind — moving air
  9. key — in music
  10. object — an aim
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. object — a thing
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. vault — a safe
  18. last — final
  19. object — to protest
  20. wind — moving air
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. key — the most important part

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