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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. swing — in golf
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. fine — high quality
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. swing — to play on
  10. board — to get on
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. board — a committee
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. vault — a safe
  16. fine — all right
  17. swing — music
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. sharp — clever
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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