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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. rule — a law
  3. craft — boats
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. rule — government
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. craft — a skill
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. vault — a safe
  15. file — a tool
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. file — a document
  20. row — to paddle
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. club — a group
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. club — for golf

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