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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. saw — the tool
  4. root — of a word
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. band — a ring
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. band — a music group
  9. present — a gift
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. craft — boats
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. present — the time now
  15. shower — to wash
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. present — there
  18. vault — a safe
  19. root — the cause
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. craft — a skill
  22. root — of a plant
  23. shower — rain
  24. saw — the tool

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