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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. The water is too ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. court — for sport
  4. court — of law
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bank — for money
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — to bend
  16. cold — an illness
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. court — of a king
  19. lean — thin
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. toast — bread
  23. bank — for money
  24. vault — a safe

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