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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: bay · mouse · roll · vault · stick · key · field · fan

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. key — in music
  7. vault — a safe
  8. field — a subject
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. key — for a lock
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. key — the most important part
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. roll — a cake
  16. field — for sport
  17. roll — a list
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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