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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 124 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. content — happy
  3. firm — a company
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. sharp — clever
  6. content — the amount
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. firm — decided
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. firm — steady
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. rule — a law
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. rule — government
  24. vault — a safe

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