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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. present — there
  3. fine — high quality
  4. vault — a safe
  5. track — a path
  6. present — the time now
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. fine — all right
  9. present — a gift
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. kick — in football
  12. bulb — for light
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. track — a song
  16. track — to keep track
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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