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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: rest · bay · vault · row · rash · toast · swing · saw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. row — to paddle
  3. rest — what's left
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. row — a line
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rash — a series
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. toast — bread
  13. rash — hasty
  14. swing — music
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — in golf
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. rest — a break
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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