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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. wax — to grow
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. can — to be able to
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. can — a tin
  14. degree — an amount
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bat — the animal
  21. degree — temperature
  22. can — a tin
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. wax — for sculpting

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