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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. club — for dancing
  3. march — the month
  4. cue — for pool
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. club — a group
  8. cue — a hint
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — to come from
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cue — a signal
  13. club — for golf
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. march — the month
  17. march — music
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. hide — to keep secret

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