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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: straw · bore · firm · pit · bay · content · vault · rock

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. rock — music
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. content — the amount
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — to drill
  9. firm — steady
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. content — happy
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. firm — decided
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. rock — a stone
  19. firm — a company
  20. pit — a hole
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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