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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. root — the cause
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. row — to paddle
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. root — of a plant
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. vault — a safe
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. kid — to tease
  16. row — a line
  17. game — wild animals
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. root — of a word
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. kid — child

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