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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. march — the month
  3. saw — the tool
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. vault — a safe
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rush — hurry
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. pit — in a race

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