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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. mark — a grade
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. march — music
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. cold — an illness
  21. cue — for pool
  22. vault — a safe
  23. plane — a tool
  24. cold — not warm

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