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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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. staff — employees
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. march — the month
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. staff — a stick
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — a safe
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. march — the month
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. staff — employees
  24. nail — for a hammer

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