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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: bay · bear · sharp · vault · board · row · dip · tube

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bear — the animal
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. board — a committee
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. bear — the animal
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — a container
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. tube — the underground
  14. vault — a safe
  15. dip — to sink
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. row — a line
  19. board — to get on
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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