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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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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: vault · pass · bay · chest · pop · mouse · board · squash

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. chest — a box
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. pop — to visit
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — of your body
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. pop — soda
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pop — music
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a committee
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. vault — a safe
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. squash — the sport

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