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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. tear — from crying
  3. swing — in golf
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. swing — music
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. object — an aim
  8. tear — from crying
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. tear — to rip
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. game — wild animals
  14. wind — moving air
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — for betting
  17. wind — moving air
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — to protest
  20. vault — a safe
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. game — a match
  23. chip — to eat
  24. swing — to play on

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