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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. sharp — clever
  8. rock — a stone
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bound — tied together
  14. rock — music
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bound — obliged
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. wound — an injury
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. wound — an injury
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. bound — certain

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