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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: rock · foot · tear · board · cue · fall · bay · vault

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. cue — for pool
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. tear — from crying
  7. rock — a stone
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. fall — the season
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — a safe
  17. fall — to drop
  18. tear — to rip
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. cue — a hint
  21. fall — to drop
  22. board — a committee
  23. tear — from crying
  24. rock — music

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