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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 120 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bark — to shout
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — to grow
  14. vault — a safe
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. rule — a law
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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