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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. club — a group
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bore — to drill
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. club — for golf
  12. roll — a cake
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. row — a line
  15. club — for dancing
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. date — the fruit
  18. bore — to tire
  19. roll — a list
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. row — to paddle
  22. vault — a safe
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bore — gave birth

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