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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. rest — a break
  3. cap — a hat
  4. vault — a safe
  5. net — after costs
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. rest — what's left
  8. net — for catching
  9. cap — of ice
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. cap — a lid
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a path
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. track — a song
  20. bulb — for light
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. cabinet — ministers

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