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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. mark — a trace
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mark — a grade
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. vault — a safe
  7. file — a document
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. swing — music
  11. file — a line of people
  12. root — of a plant
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. root — the cause
  16. file — a tool
  17. hand — help
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. hand — in cards
  20. swing — in golf
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. root — of a word
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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