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

Word bank: bay · pound · bowl · wound · drill · spring · vault · fine

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. spring — a coil
  4. wound — an injury
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. spring — of water
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. spring — the season
  9. drill — the tool
  10. pound — a weight
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. drill — a practice
  17. wound — an injury
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. vault — a safe
  21. drill — army training
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. fine — all right

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