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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: vault · bay · cap · cue · game · row · bear · can

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. cap — of ice
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. row — to paddle
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. cap — a hat
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. can — a tin
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. game — a match
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bear — to put up with

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