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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. vault — a safe
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. tear — to rip
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wind — moving air
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. tear — from crying
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. rock — music
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. craft — boats
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. tear — from crying
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rock — a stone
  24. wind — to turn a key

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