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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. mug — a face
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. last — to go on
  7. last — finally
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. track — a song
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. snap — to click
  13. track — to keep track
  14. mug — a cup
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. clip — a video
  17. mug — to rob
  18. clip — to cut
  19. track — a path
  20. last — final
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. vault — a safe
  24. clip — for paper

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