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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: vault · land · firm · bay · wind · mate · hide · pit

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. firm — decided
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. firm — steady
  7. mate — to breed
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. firm — a company
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pit — in a race
  16. wind — moving air
  17. vault — a safe
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wind — moving air
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. land — a country
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. pit — a hole
  24. land — to come down

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