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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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Word bank
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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: bay · date · arm · bore · vault · bulb · mate · mark

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. mate — a friend
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. mate — to breed
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. date — the fruit
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bore — to drill
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bore — to tire
  24. mark — a trace

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