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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. shower — to wash
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. season — in sport
  6. plane — a tool
  7. vault — a safe
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rule — a law
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rule — government
  15. season — of the year
  16. prune — to trim
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. shower — rain
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. prune — to trim
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. nail — for a hammer

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