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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. cap — of ice
  3. mine — for digging
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. firm — steady
  8. track — a path
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. lean — to bend
  12. track — a song
  13. firm — decided
  14. lean — thin
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. cap — a hat
  22. firm — a company
  23. vault — a safe
  24. mine — belonging to me

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