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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. court — of law
  4. dip — to sink
  5. date — the fruit
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. court — for sport
  9. roll — a cake
  10. roll — a list
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. court — of a king
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. vault — a safe
  24. roll — on a roll

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