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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. ball — a dance
  5. wind — moving air
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. march — the month
  10. tube — the underground
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wind — moving air
  14. march — the month
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. track — a song
  17. vault — a safe
  18. tube — a container
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. stand — to bear
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a path
  24. march — music

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