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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. track — a path
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. rock — a stone
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rock — music
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. scale — in music
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. vault — a safe
  14. scale — size or range
  15. kid — to tease
  16. track — a song
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. kid — child
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. fork — in a road
  24. hide — to keep secret

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