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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. march — music
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. march — the month
  6. band — a music group
  7. march — the month
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. band — a ring
  11. present — a gift
  12. row — to paddle
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. present — there
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. present — the time now
  21. row — a line
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — of a tree

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