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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. hand — help
  3. bear — the animal
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. stock — shares
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. hand — in cards
  20. stock — goods
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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