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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rule — a law
  6. net — for catching
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. cell — a phone
  10. pass — a permit
  11. spring — the season
  12. vault — a safe
  13. net — after costs
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. cell — in biology
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. craft — a skill
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — a coil
  24. rule — government

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