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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. club — for dancing
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. chair — a leader
  7. kick — in football
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. season — in sport
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. present — the time now
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. present — a gift
  15. club — for golf
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. vault — a safe
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. club — a group
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. season — of the year
  24. kick — with a leg

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