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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. rush — hurry
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. shower — rain
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. can — a tin
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. can — a tin
  12. shower — to wash
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — a safe
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. can — to be able to

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