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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. chest — a box
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. tear — to rip
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. row — a line
  9. staff — employees
  10. chest — of your body
  11. tear — from crying
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a face
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. chest — of your body
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. staff — employees
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. tear — from crying
  21. staff — a stick
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. mug — a cup

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