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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.

Make a worksheet

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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. dip — to sink
  4. fine — all right
  5. cap — a hat
  6. key — the most important part
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. suit — clothes
  9. vault — a safe
  10. row — a line
  11. key — for a lock
  12. suit — to fit
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rush — hurry
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. row — to paddle
  17. suit — in cards
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. key — in music
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a lid
  24. fine — high quality

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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