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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 120 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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. face — to confront
  3. bore — to drill
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bore — to tire
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. rush — hurry
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. face — to point toward
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. face — part of the head
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. mine — for digging
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. current — happening now
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wax — to grow

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