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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wax — to grow
  4. rule — a law
  5. vault — a safe
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — a leader
  11. scale — in music
  12. current — of water
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. scale — size or range
  19. current — electric
  20. rule — government
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. current — happening now

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