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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  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. sharp — exactly
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. roll — a cake
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bass — low music
  8. cue — a hint
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bass — the fish
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. roll — a list
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. cue — for pool
  20. lie — to recline
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. sharp — clever
  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