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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bore — to drill
  6. chip — to eat
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. track — a path
  11. bore — to tire
  12. ball — a dance
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. track — a song
  19. vault — a safe
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. dip — to sink
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bore — gave birth

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