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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. game — wild animals
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bore — to tire
  8. rush — hurry
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. ball — a dance
  13. game — a match
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. present — the time now
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. vault — a safe
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. present — a gift
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. present — there
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. bore — to drill

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