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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. file — a line of people
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. press — newspapers
  8. row — to paddle
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a document
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. row — a line
  15. press — to push
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. press — a publisher
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. dip — to sink

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