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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. present — there
  6. vault — a safe
  7. wax — to grow
  8. rock — music
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. present — a gift
  15. rock — a stone
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. bay — to keep at bay

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