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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bore — to tire
  4. vault — a safe
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. drill — army training
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. roll — a list
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bore — to drill
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. roll — a cake
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. drill — the tool
  24. chip — for betting

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