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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wound — an injury
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. shower — to wash
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. firm — a company
  9. bear — the animal
  10. kid — to tease
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. kid — child
  14. cue — for pool
  15. firm — decided
  16. wound — an injury
  17. firm — steady
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. shower — rain
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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