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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. cold — an illness
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. craft — boats
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. branch — a division
  12. swing — in golf
  13. cold — not warm
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. vault — a safe
  16. swing — music
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. craft — a skill
  21. dip — to sink
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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