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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. degree — temperature
  4. key — the most important part
  5. craft — a skill
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. degree — an amount
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bulb — for light
  11. key — for a lock
  12. stand — to bear
  13. key — in music
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pop — music
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pop — to visit
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. degree — from a university
  20. pop — soda
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. craft — boats

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