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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 had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. craft — boats
  3. cold — not warm
  4. degree — from a university
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. craft — a skill
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. degree — an amount
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. degree — temperature
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rush — hurry
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. lie — an untruth

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