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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. net — after costs
  6. pit — a hole
  7. vault — a safe
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — in sport
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hand — help
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. pit — in a race
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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