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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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. bound — tied together
  3. ball — a dance
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. roll — a cake
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pass — a permit
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bound — certain
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. roll — a list
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bound — obliged
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. coach — a trainer

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