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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. court — of law
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bass — the fish
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. file — a document
  10. court — of a king
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. craft — boats
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bass — low music
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. court — for sport
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. file — a line of people
  22. vault — a safe
  23. wake — a trail
  24. file — a tool

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