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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. pop — soda
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bass — low music
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. dip — to sink
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rule — government
  10. cold — not warm
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. cold — an illness
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pop — music
  19. bass — the fish
  20. rule — a law
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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