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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. scale — in music
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. vault — a safe
  8. last — final
  9. last — to go on
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. craft — boats
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. degree — from a university
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. craft — a skill
  19. last — finally
  20. scale — size or range
  21. mark — a trace
  22. degree — an amount
  23. degree — temperature
  24. bay — a horse colour

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