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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bound — obliged
  4. mark — a grade
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bound — certain
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rash — hasty
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. stand — to bear
  13. perch — the fish
  14. mark — a trace
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bound — tied together
  20. rash — a series
  21. tube — a container
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. vault — a safe
  24. tube — the underground

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