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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. staff — a stick
  5. land — a country
  6. staff — employees
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — a safe
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. staff — employees
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. season — in sport
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. season — of the year
  20. land — ground
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. land — to come down
  24. dip — to dunk

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