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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. vault — a safe
  3. saw — the tool
  4. club — for golf
  5. march — music
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. degree — an amount
  9. club — a group
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. fine — high quality
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. degree — temperature
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. fine — all right
  20. degree — from a university
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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