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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. mug — a face
  5. season — in sport
  6. lean — thin
  7. mug — a cup
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — a safe
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. game — wild animals
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. game — a match
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. wind — moving air
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. lean — to bend
  24. season — of the year

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