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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. track — a path
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pit — a hole
  8. shower — to wash
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. track — to keep track
  18. wake — a trail
  19. track — a song
  20. vault — a safe
  21. pit — in a race
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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