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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. firm — a company
  3. rule — a law
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pass — a permit
  6. shower — to wash
  7. firm — decided
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. shower — rain
  14. branch — a division
  15. rule — government
  16. cue — a signal
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — a safe
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. cue — for pool
  22. firm — steady
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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