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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 124 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. vault — a safe
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bound — obliged
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. drill — a practice
  14. bound — tied together
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bound — certain
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. drill — army training
  21. rash — a series
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. drill — the tool

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