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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. rest — a break
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. roll — a cake
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. object — to protest
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stand — to bear
  12. object — a thing
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. scale — in music
  16. object — an aim
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. scale — size or range
  21. vault — a safe
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. rest — what's left
  24. roll — a list

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