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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pit — in a race
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. net — after costs
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — a hole
  13. wax — to grow
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. net — in sport
  20. tube — a container
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. net — for catching
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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