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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: mug · chest · wind · vault · shower · bay · plane · pass

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. chest — of your body
  3. vault — a safe
  4. shower — rain
  5. chest — a box
  6. mug — a cup
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. shower — to wash
  13. wind — moving air
  14. plane — a tool
  15. wind — moving air
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. chest — of your body
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — to rob

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