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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. vault — a safe
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. object — a thing
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bound — tied together
  13. file — a tool
  14. object — an aim
  15. file — a line of people
  16. object — to protest
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bound — certain
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bound — obliged
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. file — a document

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