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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. content — the amount
  5. content — happy
  6. saw — the tool
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. object — a thing
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. race — humankind
  14. saw — the tool
  15. vault — a safe
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. object — an aim
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. race — the arms race
  20. race — a contest
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. object — to protest
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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