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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. swing — to play on
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. vault — a safe
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. mug — a cup
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. wind — moving air
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bound — obliged
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bark — to shout
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — to rob
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bound — certain
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bound — tied together

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