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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 120 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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bear — the animal
  3. suit — to fit
  4. degree — an amount
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. degree — temperature
  8. degree — from a university
  9. track — to keep track
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. track — a song
  14. vault — a safe
  15. suit — clothes
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. fork — in a road
  19. track — a path
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bear — the animal
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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