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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. cold — an illness
  5. fine — high quality
  6. vault — a safe
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. rule — government
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cold — not warm
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rule — a law
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. fine — all right
  24. calf — a young animal

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