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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — of water
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. spring — a coil
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. fall — the season
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bulb — for light
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — steady
  22. fall — to drop
  23. firm — decided
  24. pitcher — a jug

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