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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. prune — to trim
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bear — the animal
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. club — a group
  17. club — for golf
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mouse — for a computer

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