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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. row — a line
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a great time
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. suit — in cards
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. row — to paddle
  18. suit — to fit
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. stand — to bear
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. hide — animal skin

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