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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 116 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  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. pass — to succeed
  2. rest — what's left
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. rest — a break
  8. pass — a permit
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rest — what's left
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. tear — to rip
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. field — farmland
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — for sport
  21. tear — from crying
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  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