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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. last — finally
  3. last — to go on
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. march — the month
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. last — final
  14. scale — in music
  15. march — music
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bulb — for light
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. scale — size or range
  21. march — the month
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. hide — to keep secret

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