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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. firm — steady
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — to wash
  5. pit — in a race
  6. face — to point toward
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. face — to confront
  9. firm — a company
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. pit — a hole
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. face — part of the head
  17. row — a line
  18. firm — decided
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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