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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: arm · season · bulb · wake · pitcher · dip · bay · vault

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. dip — to sink
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. vault — a safe
  13. wake — a trail
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. season — in sport
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bulb — for light
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. season — of the year

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