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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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. vault — a safe
  3. can — a tin
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. can — to be able to
  8. branch — a division
  9. saw — the tool
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. mark — a grade
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. game — wild animals
  19. saw — the tool
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. game — a match
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. can — a tin
  24. racket — a loud noise

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