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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: lash · racket · bear · mine · cold · suit · vault · bay

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. suit — clothes
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. vault — a safe
  12. mine — for digging
  13. cold — an illness
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cold — not warm
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. suit — to fit
  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