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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mark — a trace
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. mark — a grade
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mug — a face
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — to rob
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. ball — a great time
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. fork — a garden tool

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