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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  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. suit — clothes
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. spring — of water
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bound — certain
  8. kid — child
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bound — obliged
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. suit — in cards
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bound — tied together
  18. spring — a coil
  19. lie — to recline
  20. spring — the season
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. kid — to tease
  23. vault — a safe
  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