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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. vault — a safe
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. land — to come down
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bulb — for light
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. dip — to sink
  16. land — ground
  17. land — a country
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bulb — for light
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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