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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 120 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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. kick — in football
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — what's left
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. charge — in control
  14. cell — a phone
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. rest — a break
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. cell — in biology
  24. kick — a thrill

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