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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. band — a music group
  3. can — a tin
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. craft — boats
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. can — a tin
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. band — a ring
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. last — finally
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. last — to go on
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — a skill
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — the fruit
  21. vault — a safe
  22. last — final
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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