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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: track · mark · cell · vault · scale · key · mug · prune

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mug — a face
  3. scale — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. key — in music
  7. track — a song
  8. mark — a grade
  9. key — for a lock
  10. cell — in biology
  11. track — a path
  12. mug — to rob
  13. cell — a phone
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. scale — size or range
  16. mark — a trace
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. vault — a safe
  21. mug — a cup
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. track — to keep track
  24. scale — for weighing

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