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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: degree · present · vault · hide · bay · jam

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. present — a gift
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. present — the time now
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. degree — from a university
  11. degree — an amount
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. present — there
  14. degree — temperature
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling

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