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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 120 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. fall — the season
  4. saw — the tool
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. dip — to sink
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. tube — the underground
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. vault — a safe
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. tube — a container
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. fall — to drop
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pitch — completely
  24. dip — a sauce

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