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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. ball — a great time
  6. rash — a series
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. ball — a dance
  9. present — there
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — a safe
  13. sharp — clever
  14. rash — hasty
  15. present — a gift
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. present — the time now
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. craft — boats
  24. lean — thin

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