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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. face — to confront
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. face — part of the head
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bat — the animal
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. face — to point toward
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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