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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. season — of the year
  4. rush — hurry
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. file — a document
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. vault — a safe
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a lid
  12. season — in sport
  13. march — the month
  14. file — a line of people
  15. march — the month
  16. file — a tool
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. cap — a hat
  22. march — music
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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