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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. vault — a safe
  4. spring — of water
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. land — a country
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. root — of a word
  14. mark — a grade
  15. spring — the season
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — the cause
  18. land — to come down
  19. land — ground
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a trace
  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