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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. ground — the earth
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. foot — a measure
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. ground — crushed
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. scale — size or range
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. scale — in music
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ground — a position
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. scale — for weighing

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