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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  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. bay — a horse colour
  2. bank — of a river
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bank — for money
  6. rush — hurry
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bound — obliged
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. fall — the season
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — all right
  18. sharp — clever
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bank — for money
  23. vault — a safe
  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