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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. club — a group
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. club — for dancing
  10. object — an aim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rash — a series
  15. object — a thing
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. drill — army training
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rash — hasty
  21. vault — a safe
  22. object — to protest
  23. club — for golf
  24. fan — a supporter

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