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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — the fish
  5. file — a document
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. file — a tool
  8. net — in sport
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. net — after costs
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bore — to tire
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bear — the animal
  15. file — a line of people
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bass — low music
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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