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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 124 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. charge — electricity
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. charge — a price
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. charge — in control
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. race — a contest
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. shower — to wash
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — the arms race
  21. vault — a safe
  22. shower — rain
  23. bear — the animal
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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