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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wind — moving air
  3. vault — a safe
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. staff — a stick
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. staff — employees
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. shower — rain
  19. staff — employees
  20. wind — moving air
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. shower — to wash
  23. lie — to recline
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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