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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rash — hasty
  4. spell — letters
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. present — there
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. rash — a series
  12. root — of a plant
  13. tube — the underground
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. present — the time now
  16. root — the cause
  17. spell — a short time
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. spell — magic
  21. tube — a container
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. present — a gift
  24. root — of a word

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