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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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Word bank
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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. object — a thing
  4. rest — what's left
  5. current — electric
  6. current — happening now
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. face — part of the head
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rest — a break
  12. face — to confront
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. object — an aim
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. object — to protest
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. current — of water
  22. face — to point toward
  23. vault — a safe
  24. pass — a permit

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