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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: mouse · vault · cell · pass · saw · race · bay · bear

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. saw — the tool
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. cell — a phone
  5. race — the arms race
  6. cell — in biology
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — a permit
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. race — a contest
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. race — humankind
  24. vault — a safe

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