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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: rule · leaves · vault · deal · bay · mine · bear · field

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. field — a subject
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. vault — a safe
  8. field — farmland
  9. field — for sport
  10. rule — government
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. mine — for digging
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. deal — to handle

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