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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. club — for dancing
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. court — for sport
  5. wind — moving air
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for golf
  8. plane — a tool
  9. fine — all right
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. fine — high quality
  13. suit — to fit
  14. court — of a king
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. court — of law
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. vault — a safe

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