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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — a stone
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. rock — music
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rash — a series
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pound — a weight
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. vault — a safe
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mug — a face
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. toast — bread

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