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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. rest — a break
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. vault — a safe
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wake — a trail
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — of water
  21. deal — to handle
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. spring — the season
  24. wake — before a funeral

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