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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. row — a line
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — magic
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. vault — a safe
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pitch — completely
  24. row — to paddle

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