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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. drill — army training
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. firm — decided
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — the tool
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. lean — thin
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. firm — a company
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. degree — temperature
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. degree — an amount
  19. firm — steady
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. degree — from a university
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. lean — to bend

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