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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  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. club — for dancing
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. club — a group
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. club — for golf
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. prune — to trim
  10. vault — a safe
  11. court — for sport
  12. court — of law
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. squash — to crush
  17. court — of a king
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. squash — the sport
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bark — to shout
  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