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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. season — of the year
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bear — the animal
  11. row — to paddle
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. row — a line
  14. vault — a safe
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. season — in sport
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. bear — the animal
  24. season — to add flavour

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