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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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Word bank
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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. rash — hasty
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. wind — moving air
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. vault — a safe
  15. row — to paddle
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — a series
  24. row — a line

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