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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: vault · deal · sharp · pound · bulb · cabinet · fork · bay

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. deal — to handle
  15. sharp — clever
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. cabinet — ministers

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