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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. rash — hasty
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. vault — a safe
  7. rash — a series
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. present — the time now
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. present — there
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. present — a gift
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. hide — animal skin

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