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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a tool
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bat — the animal
  13. file — a line of people
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. vault — a safe
  19. key — in music
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. band — a ring
  22. rush — hurry
  23. band — a music group
  24. lash — to lash out

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