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

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. bear — the animal
  16. vault — a safe
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter

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