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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. spring — the season
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. current — of water
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. current — happening now
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — a permit
  17. current — electric
  18. perch — the fish
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — of water
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. vault — a safe
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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