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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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. spring — the season
  3. content — the amount
  4. sharp — clever
  5. spring — of water
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. face — part of the head
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wind — moving air
  13. face — to confront
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. content — happy
  17. spring — a coil
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. face — to point toward
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. wind — moving air

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