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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. scale — in music
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rest — what's left
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — to sink
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. craft — a skill
  21. lie — to recline
  22. scale — size or range
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. rest — a break

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