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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: chip · bay · mug · mate · vault · fan · wake · present

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. mug — a face
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. mug — a cup
  7. present — a gift
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. chip — to eat
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mate — to breed
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. mug — to rob
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mate — a partner
  19. present — there
  20. mate — a friend
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. present — the time now
  23. vault — a safe
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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