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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. sharp — clever
  3. mark — a trace
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mark — a grade
  11. vault — a safe
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rock — a stone
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rock — music
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bat — the animal
  21. cap — a hat
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. prune — to trim
  24. sharp — with an edge

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