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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — a safe
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bank — for money
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. chest — of your body
  12. ground — crushed
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. ground — a position
  17. chest — a box
  18. ground — the earth
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. toast — bread
  21. bank — for money
  22. squash — the sport
  23. chest — of your body
  24. squash — to crush

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