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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 116 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: bore · bay · straw · cabinet · vault · tear · cap · bowl

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. cap — a hat
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. cap — of ice
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. cap — a lid
  21. tear — from crying
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bore — to tire

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