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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. net — for catching
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wind — moving air
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. march — the month
  9. wind — moving air
  10. march — the month
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. march — music
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. net — in sport
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. cell — a phone
  20. cell — in biology
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. net — after costs

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