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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 120 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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. drill — a practice
  3. craft — boats
  4. chest — of your body
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. file — a line of people
  7. bore — to tire
  8. chest — of your body
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. chest — a box
  12. file — a document
  13. bore — to drill
  14. craft — a skill
  15. drill — army training
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. file — a tool
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — music

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