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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. face — to confront
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. vault — a safe
  7. hand — help
  8. face — part of the head
  9. hand — in cards
  10. rash — hasty
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. staff — employees
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. craft — a skill
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. craft — boats
  19. rash — a series
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. drill — the tool
  22. face — to point toward
  23. staff — a stick
  24. hide — animal skin

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