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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 120 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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. season — of the year
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. staff — employees
  5. season — in sport
  6. staff — employees
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — to rip
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. staff — a stick
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. vault — a safe
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. track — to keep track
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. racket — for tennis

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