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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rush — hurry
  3. wound — an injury
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. fork — in a road
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. capital — a city
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. capital — money
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wound — an injury
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. rush — to hurry

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