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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. rest — what's left
  4. kid — to tease
  5. file — a line of people
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. file — a document
  8. rest — a break
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — a trace
  11. kid — child
  12. rest — what's left
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. vault — a safe
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. drill — a practice
  19. file — a tool
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — army training
  24. hide — to keep secret

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