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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. suit — clothes
  5. field — for sport
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. march — the month
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. march — the month
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. field — farmland
  14. swing — music
  15. swing — to play on
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. suit — in cards
  20. field — a subject
  21. vault — a safe
  22. swing — in golf
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. march — music

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