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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. kid — child
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. staff — employees
  8. club — for golf
  9. foot — a measure
  10. craft — boats
  11. staff — employees
  12. vault — a safe
  13. kid — to tease
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. club — a group
  21. craft — a skill
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bowl — a dish

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