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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. spring — a coil
  3. staff — employees
  4. cue — a hint
  5. staff — a stick
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — to wash
  8. cue — a signal
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. spring — the season
  11. staff — employees
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. mark — a trace
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. vault — a safe
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cue — for pool
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. mark — a grade
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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