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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. cap — a hat
  11. squash — the sport
  12. swing — music
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. squash — to crush
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — a box
  19. cap — a lid
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. chest — of your body
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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