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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.

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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. rest — a break
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rest — what's left
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ball — a great time
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a dance
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stock — goods
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stock — shares
  24. fork — in a road

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