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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. game — a match
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. vault — a safe
  7. pop — music
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. drill — a practice
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ball — a great time
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. pop — to visit
  15. dip — to sink
  16. cap — a lid
  17. drill — the tool
  18. pop — soda
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. drill — army training
  23. game — wild animals
  24. cap — a hat

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