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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. track — a path
  3. season — of the year
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. firm — a company
  8. season — in sport
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. drill — a practice
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. track — a song
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. drill — army training
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. firm — steady
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. vault — a safe
  23. drill — the tool
  24. firm — decided

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