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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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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. kid — to tease
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. file — a tool
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. vault — a safe
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. file — a document
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. mark — a trace
  14. kid — child
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. fine — high quality
  18. mark — a grade
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. file — a line of people
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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