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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. present — there
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mate — a partner
  7. fall — to drop
  8. mate — to breed
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. present — a gift
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mate — a friend
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. dip — to sink
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. present — the time now
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. fall — to drop
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fall — the season

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