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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. content — the amount
  9. spring — the season
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ball — a dance
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. spring — of water
  15. ball — a great time
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. spring — a coil
  19. content — happy
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. vault — a safe
  23. fine — high quality
  24. mate — a partner

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