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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. present — a gift
  3. track — to keep track
  4. drill — the tool
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mate — a friend
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. track — a path
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. drill — army training
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — a safe
  17. mate — to breed
  18. present — the time now
  19. bank — for money
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bank — of a river
  22. track — a song
  23. present — there
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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