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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. spring — a coil
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — a safe
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. key — the most important part
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. shower — rain
  11. key — for a lock
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. track — a path
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. shower — to wash
  16. track — to keep track
  17. key — in music
  18. track — a song
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. spring — of water
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. spring — the season
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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