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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. degree — temperature
  3. kid — child
  4. degree — an amount
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. degree — from a university
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. vault — a safe
  17. pop — to visit
  18. kid — to tease
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. pop — soda
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. pop — music

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