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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 116 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pound — a weight
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. swing — in golf
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. swing — music
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. key — in music
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. season — of the year
  14. row — a line
  15. key — for a lock
  16. vault — a safe
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. season — in sport
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. key — the most important part
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. hide — to keep secret

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