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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. fine — high quality
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. pit — in a race
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. field — farmland
  11. fine — all right
  12. vault — a safe
  13. craft — a skill
  14. wax — to grow
  15. craft — boats
  16. pit — a hole
  17. squash — the sport
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. field — for sport
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. field — a subject

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