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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

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

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