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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 116 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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. rest — what's left
  4. drill — a practice
  5. root — of a word
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. saw — the tool
  9. drill — the tool
  10. root — the cause
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. key — in music
  13. field — for sport
  14. rest — what's left
  15. drill — army training
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. rest — a break
  19. key — the most important part
  20. field — farmland
  21. root — of a plant
  22. saw — the tool
  23. vault — a safe
  24. key — for a lock

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