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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bear — the animal
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cue — a signal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. cell — in biology
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cell — a phone
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. perch — the fish
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bear — the animal
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. cell — in a prison

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